Complicated Simplicity
by OrangeAfterglow
Summary: Their story was a simple one. The battle between the Hero and the Villain. The Villain lost, the Hero won and the good guy always got the Girl. Their story is about to become complicated. Another "What if Metroman didnt quit?" A/U now rated M!
1. The power of the Sun!

_This story represents one of the biggest, meanest, nastiest plot bunnies ever to have been in creation. The very same plot bunny that sank it's teeth into me over two months ago and never let go. 1st chapter has a fair bit f movie rehashing but this will be the only full movie scene in the story. _

_This is my version of the good old "What if Metroman didnt 'die'" story. Could the flirting and pent up sexual tension ever have come to anything while Megamind was still the City's villain? Read on and find out...but beware... this is gonna be a doozy!_

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><p>Her first thought as she drifted back into consciousness, was that the bag over her head smelled even worse than it had the last time. Almost as if he intentionally kept it in the most rancid place he could find, just to add to the amount of discomfort he was causing her. She sighed as the word struck a cord within her. Discomfort was about as far as it ever went, she hadn't been <em>truly<em> scared of him in a long time. She could admit to herself that she was intimidated by some of his inventions sometimes and she was often scared of being caught in the inevitable explosions that his inventions often resulted in, but she was not actually scared of_ him _anymore. She would even go so far as to admit that she _trusted_ him. The predictability that he so adamantly denied gave her a sense of security, she always knew what he was going to do and she knew that he would never intentionally hurt her.

Make her uncomfortable and absolutely _furious_, yes but he would never intentionality cause her physical harm. This particular revelation had come to her one night a couple of years in to their 'relationship' when she had woken up on her bed to find her wrists bandaged carefully. The burns and abrasions she had found around her wrists after removing the bandages had brought the memories crashing back. She had finally landed herself a date with someone who wasn't so caught up in the rumour about her and Metro Man and she had been waiting for him outside a movie theatre when she had been kidnapped once again. She had been furious and had struggled more than usual against the ropes that held her wrists causing the abrasive rope to cut into her delicate skin. She had not even been aware of the hurt she was causing herself until Megamind had gone pale and Minion had run off in a panic and presumably in search of a first aid kit. Megamind had quickly untied her and held her hands out in-front of her, the blood from the wounds on her wrists had soaked through the rope and had even begun to pool on the floor behind the chair. Megamind himself had bandaged her wrists and then Minion had used the knock-out spray on her. They had returned her to her apartment after apparently calling off whatever evil plan they had been about to unleash. They had left her alone for a few weeks after that. It had never been mentioned again.

Returning to the present she sighed in frustration as she willed a headache away and decided that she had had enough of listening to the sounds of Megamind and Minion's manic laughter.

"You two better get this bag off of my head rite now or so help me I will make you regret ever hearing my name!" She yelled as loud as she could without taking in too much of the rancid air that filled the bag. She knew from past experience that the bag muffled her words enough so that they could not tell what she was saying and vice versa. She could hear the sound of Megamind's voice, low and excited, as she was set down in the familiar metal chair with her arms positioned behind the chair's back. She could feel the bag stretch at the top of her head and she quickly put a confident smirk on her face and stared straight ahead at the spot where she knew he would be.

Minion pulled the bag from her head with a flourish and she once again praised herself for keeping her hair in the short pixie cut as she felt it fall back into perfect place.

"So Miss Ritchie, we meet again." Megamind said, his voice taking on the deep rumble that she often heard in the wine-induced dreams that she tried so hard to forget.

"Would it kill you to wash the bag?" She asked as she quirked up one eyebrow, tilting her face down a little so she could glare at him through her eyelashes. She smirked as she played the scene through her head, almost knowing exactly what he was going to say.

"You can scream _all you want_ Miss Ritchie, I'm afraid_ no one can hear you_!" He practically shouted as if he really was trying to be heard over screams of terror. Her smirk grew wider and her expression just a little more mocking as she blinked slowly at him, watching as his face dropped in disappointment. He always wanted to make her scream, it was like his personal mission. That fact had also been a part of many of her more disturbing dreams of late. She forced the memory out of her head and kept her expression still, willing herself not to show any of the blush that was threatening to stain her cheeks. She could not afford to loose that part of the game they were playing.

"Uh – Why isn't she screaming?" He asked Minion, a genuinely confused look on his face as he sat further forward in his big leather chair. It was amazing just how shocked he looked, as if he truly expected her to be recoiling in terror at the mere sight of him.

"Miss Ritchie, if you don't mind?" Minion placed his large metal hand softly on her shoulder causing her to glance up at him. Her mocking smirk slipped briefly into a genuine smile as she looked up at the strange fish. For the sidekick of a super-villain, Minion was incredibly sweet and courteous.

"Like this," Megamind said suddenly, pulling her attention back towards him as he let rip with a demonstration of the type of sound he was looking for, "but, that's a poor _lady scream_," he was about to say something else when the brainbot that had been resting in his lap suddenly clamped it's impressive jaws down on his wrist, ripping a full throated, blood curdling scream from his lips as he tried in vain to detach the mechanical creature.

"That's a little better." Roxanne said as she leaned forward in her seat, keeping her voice level against the laughter that was trying to bubble up through her throat. She didn't enjoy seeing him in such obvious pain but the irony of the whole situation was just about the funniest thing she had seen in a long time. She had to look away from him as he span round in his chair franticly, growling in pain, and found herself looking at the impressive array of instruments that had been installed around the room. "Is there some nerdy, super-villain website where you can get Tesla coils and blinky dials?"

She was genuinely curious and silently berated herself for ending her question so weakly. She had been a part of Megamind's schemes for so long she had learned a thing or two but to ask a question about '_blinky dials_' was a little below her usual standard. She was relieved when neither Megamind nor Minion picked up on it and listened carefully as Minion started to explain.

"Actually, we get everything from an outlet store in-" Minion said helpfully, very pleased that there was a question he knew how to answer properly.

"_Don't_ answer that!" Megamind cut him off, obviously trying to sound menacing but his tone of voice and the look on his face came across as panicked.

"_Romania_." Minion couldn't help but finish off in a whisper and yelped as his boss kicked himself, chair and all, towards the pair.

"Don't!" He yelled as he positioned himself in-between Minion and Roxanne, one of his legs touching hers as he edged closer. He refused to let the shock, that travelled from his knee and up his spine, show on his face as he leaned in towards her, studying her face carefully, "She is using her _nosey reporter skills_ on your weak willed mind, to discover all of our _secrets_."

Minion gasped in horror as if the idea had truly never occurred to him. Roxanne glanced up at the fish but found herself almost instantly looking back into Megamind's eyes. She kept the mocking and amused smirk on her face as he leaned in even closer, bending his back so he was looking up at her. She drew in a deep breath and tried to focus on anything other than the strange little thrill that shot up her spine at his proximity. She was all too aware that their banter was becoming increasingly flirty and she told herself she only went along with it because it was amusing. He often took to circling her and looking her body up and down as he explained his latest nefarious scheme and every time it sent a shiver through her core that seemed to be growing in intensity. Now, as he leaned in, his face mere inches from hers and their legs touching slightly, she was almost forgetting how to breath. His eyes bore into hers and seemed to be searching for something as he looked up at her for a moment that seemed to stretch into an eternity. The sound of his voice, having dropped lower than she had ever heard it before, drew her out of her musings.

"Such tricks," his voice had taken on a husky note that very nearly pulled a blush onto her cheeks, "won't work," he circled behind her and she could feel his eyes raking up and down her body, taking in the tight red dress she was wearing, "on me," he raised one impeccable eyebrow at her as he leaned in closer with a smile.

"Temptress!" He hissed his closing remark in a way that very nearly made her melt on the spot. She cursed herself for the gasping breath his actions had caused and fought down the furious blush that was now fighting for attention.

"Wha- what secrets? You are sooo predictable!" She mentally rolled her eyes at herself as she yet again came out with an amazingly mature comment. She watched his face carefully and was very pleased to see that he had taken the bait and seemed to have taken offence to her comment.

"Predictable? _Predictable!_" His voice rose in pitch as his anger at her comment was replaced by the excitement of showing her how wrong she was, "You call _this_ predictable?"

In a flurry of dramatic poses and lack-lustre exclamations he pulled lever after lever revealing a cacophony of sinister inventions which she put down with her sharp tongue one after another. Eventually Megamind collapsed in a physically exhausted and mentally drained heap, sighing with the hopelessness of his situation. He cursed himself for his inability to intimidate his victim and wondered where he was going wrong.

"The spider's new." Roxanne said with a chuckle as she watched the small black creature slide down it's sting of silk in-between her and the pouting Megamind.

"Spider?" He asked as he stood up and looked questioningly at Minion who simply shrugged, "er- yes! The... Speeider!" He was instantly back in super-villain mode and gestured in what he hoped was a sinister way as he crept towards her once again, "even the smallest bite from _Arachnis_ _Deathicus_ will instantly paralyse-"

Roxanne delicately puckered her lips and let out a puff of air which blew the spider towards the blue alien, landing with amazing accuracy on his eyeball. Minion was quick to respond by attempting to swipe the spider from his masters face, yet only seemed to manage to punch the writhing man to the floor. Roxanne was glad of the suddenly flurry of action as a rosy blush finally made it to her cheeks as a small part of her mind pointed out how it must have looked like she was blowing a kiss at her captor. She covered up her embarrassment by voicing a scathing put-down that was sure to hit its mark.

"Give it up Megamind, face it, your plans _never work_!" She poured a little more venom into her voice than was strictly necessary and she regretted it as soon as he got to his feet and looked at her with a genuinely hurt expression on his face. She frowned as she thought she saw tears in his eyes as he straightened his spine and steeled his resolve to the task at hand.

"Let's stop wasting time and call your boyfriend-in-tights, shall we?" He gestured with another dramatic flourish that was cut short by the same brainbot as before returning for a second taste of it's creator's blood as it clamped down on his hand once again. Megamind's scream echoed around the abandoned observatory causing the various contraptions suspended over her head to ring almost musically. Roxanne watched on with pained amusement as Minion griped the brainbot in his strong metal hands and pried the creatures jaws apart, replacing his master's free hand with a wrench that seemed to appease the agitated creation.

"Not that I'm not enjoying the show or anything but there is a party going on tonight you know, and I'm kind of expected to be there!" Roxanne huffed, focusing on her frustration once again.

"Ah yes!" Megamind said once he had regained his composure. He walked over to stand directly in front of her forcing her to look up at him or risk being accused of staring at his body, "_Metroman day_, how could I forget? You are the girlfriend of the guest of honour after all so _of course_ you are expected to attend." the smirk on his face grew as he glared down at her, a superior expression on his face, "Well, I'm afraid I have some bad news for you Miss Ritchie." He left the comment hanging in the air as he turned and walked a few paces away from her. He looked over to Minion who nodded, a pleased smile on his face.

"Right away sir!" Minion said as he moved towards one of the control panels and pushed a few buttons, causing a large computer screen to blink into life. The brand new Metroman museum came into view and the sound of the crowd that had gathered echoed out of the hidden speakers. The crowd was chanting for their hero as the mayor did his best to work the crowd into a frenzy before introducing the immaculate hero. Roxanne rolled her eyes at the spectacle. It was every bit as cheesy and overstated as Metroman himself, and she actually found herself grateful to Megamind for putting some form of entertainment into her day.

With more of a build up than even Megamind could have accomplished, Metroman burst forth through a solid brick wall of perfectly white bricks, overconfident smirk in place and voice as condescending as ever. Roxanne let out an audible sigh as she watched her 'boyfriend' play up to the crowd. Some stereotypical Elvis Presley song was playing in the background and she found herself groaning in unison with Megamind as they watched the hero fly over the crowd, high-fiving his adoring fans before picking up 3 babies and juggling with them.

"How is he not being stopped?" Megamind asked, his voice rising in pitch as he watched the unbelievable show of arrogance, "If I even looked at a child I would be attacked by a horde of rampaging mothers in no time!"

"Well, that's because_ you_ are evil and he is _everyone's_ hero. But even _I_ have to agree with you, baby juggling? That one is a l_ittle too much_!" Roxanne said as she watched the circus unfold on the monitor. Out of the corner of her eye she caught the look that Megamind was sending her and her cheeks coloured as she realised she had just openly agreed with him on something against Metroman.

"So, life with Metrosity's _hero_ isn't everything it's cracked up to be, eh?" Megamind asked as he once again approached his restrained captive. He couldn't help the excited smirk that spread across his face.

"Like I would discuss my private life with you!" Roxanne snapped a little too harshly as the truth in his words hit home. His smirk grew even wider and she had a sinking feeling that he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Wow, things must be bad for you to get so defensive!" He spoke quietly, his smirk not as arrogant and evil as she would have expected, "there really must be trouble in paradise."

"Oh what would you know?" She rolled here eyes and refused to meet his gaze. Thankfully Minion's voice cut through the tension as he alerted his boss to the time when their plan was to be set into motion.

"Very well, Minion. Send in the brainbots!" Megamind issued the order without taking his eyes off of Roxanne's form. Her head was turned away and her cheeks were coloured in embarrassment. These moments were rare, moments when he succeeded in breaking through her defences and found the real Roxanne Ritchie. The woman below the bravado of the nosey reporter. With more than a little regret he turned away from her and prepared himself for the theatrics to come.

Wayne Scott congratulated himself once again for being the man that all of the people in front of him looked to for their own personal safety. Becoming Metroman was the best decision he had ever made and despite the odd bout of frustration at the monotony of the job, he truly loved it. The crowd in front of him were going wild as he strutted around, giving them his very best heroic poses and generally making the most of the atmosphere. As the crowd reached it's peak and his favourite Elvis song came to a finale he was handed a golden microphone, reminding him of the speech he had prepared especially.

"Hey Metro City!" He gave them his very best pose teamed with a confident smile that showed off his perfect teeth. The crowd screamed it's adoration with renewed vigour and he even thought he heard a couple of the police officers firing their weapons into the air in celebration. A quick glance in their direction told him that they weren't actually from Metro City PD, probably from one of the southern states, he mentally shrugged it off and made a note to talk to them later about the dangers of discharging your weapon. He floated effortlessly into the air and hovered over the crowd as he asked the sound guys to turn the music down before addressing the crowd once again.

"Although getting a whole museum that's super cool is _super cool_, you wanna know what the real honour you've given me is? Do you _really_ wanna know?" He asked as he hovered down towards the surface of the fountain and strolled casually on the surface of the water, "Letting me serve you, the helpless people of Metro City!" The crowd went wild once again and he smiled at them before waving a hand to quiet them down.

"And at the end of every day, I often ask myself, _Who would I be without you_?" He posed dramatically and smirked as a member of the crowd screamed at the top of his lungs that he loved the super hero, "And I love _you_ random citizen!" With a laugh he crouched into a spin that whipped the fountain water up around him and blasted off into the sky with a dramatic splash.

Roxanne groaned at the spectacle and once again cursed herself for getting caught up in this whole situation. Why had she been so set on becoming a news reporter? If she had only chosen another career she would never have hunted Metroman down and convinced him to give her an exclusive interview. She had easily discovered his true identity and had been absolutely astounded that no one else in the city seemed to realise and had threatened to 'out' him if he didn't give her an exclusive interview. Everyone in the city had assumed that he had done so because she had agreed to be his girlfriend. Everyone including Megamind.

"How do you _put up_ with that?" Megamind asked as he stared at the screen, even Minion seemed shocked at the display

"It's not as hard as you would think." She muttered, still unable to tear herself away from the broadcast, "Not that I'm bored or anything, but didn't you have some evil scheme in the mix?"

"Patience Miss Ritchie!" Megamind said as he smirked at her and gave her another one of those looks. She swore to herself that if she ever found the person who taught him to _smoulder_ like that she would either kill them or shake their hand.

"The brainbots are in position Sir!" Minion said, a happy grin on his face as he turned back to the small computer screen in front of him.

"Show time!" Megamind said, the excitement clear in his voice as he as he span on his heel and strode over to where Minion was standing. He peered over the shoulder of the large gorilla suit and watched as Minion typed in the commands that instructed the brainbots to put Operation Observatory into action, "_Places_!" He yelled suddenly as he skipped over to stand on an x that had been painted on the floor. Minion began a countdown and Roxanne watched with a frown as the footage from the Museum ceremony suddenly began to darken as thick clouds billowed out from behind the tall building.

"Sir, you are on in 3...2..." Minion held up one finger as he mouthed the final number then pointed towards the camera as Megamind opened with an evil laugh. He leaned in close to the camera and a second image appeared on the screen in front of her displaying the footage of Megamind that was apparently being broadcast live tot he crowds at the Museum.

"_Megamind_!" Metro man said dramatically after Megamind had introduced himself and the crowed booed and hissed loudly. An appropriately outraged frown on his face as he swooped in closer to the Museum, "I should have known you'd crash the party!" The crowd cheered for their hero and booed the villain at the same time and Roxanne couldn't help but roll her eyes at the theatrics.

"Oh, I intend to do more than crash it!" Megamind was obviously very excited about this plan as he bounced on the balls of his feet, unable to contain the amount of energy ad adrenalin coursing through his veins, "This shall be a day that you, and _Metrosity,_ shall not soon forget!" He leaned in to the camera dramatically.

"It's pronounced, " Metroman paused for effect with the theatrical accuracy of a professional actor, "_Metro City_!" The crowd went wild, apparently loving the way that Metroman said the name of their beloved city.

"Oooh potato, tomato, potato, tomato." Megamind pouted sarcastically. Roxanne was about to berate him for getting a cliché wrong but held her tongue as he obviously had some big reveal planned for her as she was not yet visible in the in the camera angle.

"We all know how this ends, with _you_ behind bars!" Metro Man smiled as the crowd once again screamed in appreciation of their hero.

"_You_, will leave Metrosity," Megamind demanded before looking over his shoulder at her briefly, she took this as her cue and placed a bored expression on her face, "or today will be the last you ever hear of," He paused for effect, "_Roxanne Ritchie_!" He span the camera around to include her in the shot and gestured excitedly at her as if encouraging the crowd to notice the presence of his helpless victim.

"_Roxanne_!" Metro man gasped, once again Megamind had kidnapped the innocent woman and was putting her life in danger, the crowd fell into a shocked silence below him, "Don't panic Roxie, I'm on my way!"

"I'm not panicking!" Roxanne shouted as she smiled a tired smile at the camera.

"If you want to save her, you'll have to find us first!" Megamind said as he inspected his fingernails in front of him, obviously confident that the he would never be able to find the secret location. Roxanne smirked as she took in a deep breath, knowing she would have to be quick.

"Were at the abandoned observatory!" She yelled quickly, her words almost merging into one.

"Ah ha!" Metro man exclaimed as he blasted up into the air, the smoke swirling around him.

"Oh no! Were not! Don't listen to her she's crazy!" Megamind looked shocked and panicked as he dragged the camera back onto him and cut Roxanne off before she could do any more damage.

The live feed of Megamind cut out as Minion redirected the attention of the brainbots at the Museum. Roxanne frowned in annoyance, not quite believing how easy that had been, did Megamind honestly think that she would not have noticed they were in the old observatory? There was only one building in the entire city that had a domed roof like that. Something in the back of her mind was sounding off warning bells, telling her something was wrong but she just could not put her finger on what it was. She shrugged off the feeling figuring that she would find out what it was eventually.

"Face it Megamind, your plans never work!" She said, mainly just to break the silence and to remind the two boys that she was still there, tied to the chair.

"Metroman approaching Sir." Minion said with a badly disguised smirk as he taped the computer screen with the end of his pencil. Roxanne frowned a little harder, he almost sounded like that was what he wanted to happen.

"HA!" Roxanne snapped, pleased none-the-less that the hero was about to turn up and save the day once again.

"Ha HA!" Megamind countered, his eyes daring her to continue.

"_Ha ha hah_!" Roxanne forced a laugh, intent on having 'the last laugh'. Megamind had other ideas as he broke into a fit of excited cackling as he pulled a single lever that retracted all of the 'evil' inventions that had been poised to do her some serious harm. She wondered briefly why it had taken so much effort to reveal all of the inventions and yet only a single level to retract them all. She frowned slightly before Minion drew their attention back to the approaching hero. Roxanne turned her face towards the ground in the only move that she could use to protect herself from the debris that would inevitably shower down around her once Metroman made his entrance. The tension grew and grew until Roxanne realised that something should have happened by now.

"Over here Old Friend." Megamind's voice brought her back to reality as she looked up at the in-tact roof. Metroman appeared on the monitor in front of her once again, clearly confused by the whole situation. He was indeed in the old observatory, the destroyed telescope, which undoubtedly cost quite a substantial amount of money, lay in a crumpled heap off to one side.

"It looks as if you have fallen _right into my trap_!" The blue alien continued, a very smug expression on his face. Roxanne's mind reeled, wondering how he had managed to construct a fully sized replica of the observatory without anyone from the city noticing! She could see from the now opened viewing hatch that they were only just on the other side of the bay from the city and they were in full view of the real observatory.

"You can't trap justice!" Metro Man said as he struck a dramatic pose, quickly regaining his composure, "It's an idea,_ a belief_!"

"Even the most heartfelt beliefs can be corroded over time." Megamind skulked around in front of the camera, loosing himself in their trademark 'witty banter'.

"_Justice_ is a non-corrosive metal." Metro man was becoming more and more superior every second and Roxanne wondered briefly if he even knew what the word corrosive really meant.

"But metals can be melted with the heat of _revange_!" Megamind was really getting into it as he leaned in towards the camera.

"It's _revenge_ and it's a dish best served _cold_!" Metro Man shouted, actually beginning to lose his temper.

"Yet it can easily be reheated in the microwave of evil!" Megamind gestured wildly as Roxanne groaned behind him, this was getting ridiculous.

"I think your warranty is about to expire!" Megamind shook his fist at the camera, clearly indicating his true meaning.

"Maybe I bought an extended warranty!" Megamind was now crawling on top of the computer console in order to loom into the camera just a little bit further.

"Warranties are _invalid_ if you don't use the product for it's intended purpose!"

Roxanne groaned loudly and wondered how it was that she could be annoyed, bored and frustrated with one situation all at the same time. She decided that things were just become too silly and it was best for her to interrupt them before things went down hill even more.

"Girls, _girls_!" She began with a smirk, knowing how both of them would take it, "You're both pretty! Can I go home now?" She nodded with an excited grin, desperate just to go home and forget about this whole horrible ordeal. She knew the crowds at the Museum could still see them and she wanted nothing to do with this bizarre situation any longer.

"Of course," Megamind smiled as he looked over his shoulder at her before climbing down from the console and straightening his suit, "That is, if Metroman, can withstand the full, concentrated power of the _SUN_! FIRE!" He yelled as he pointed at Minion who was looking at the computer screen with a frown. After a few seconds of nothing happening Megamind stomped angrily over to the fish as hissed at him, "Minion, _fire_?"

"It's still warming up Sir." Minion stated as if it was no big deal.

"_Warming up_?" Megamind asked, his face as shocked more than ever, Roxanne resisted the urge to giggle and instead focused on feeling sorry for Minion who she knew was about to get into some real trouble, "The _sun_ is _warming up_?"

"Just one second more..." Minion continued with a steady stream of phrases meant to indicate that the 'Death Ray' would be ready soon when Metroman's voice caught her attention.

"I'm on my way, Roxie!" With that he blasted up through the roof of the observatory and hovered in mid air, listening carefully and trying to figure out where Megamind was hiding.

"Why do you always blame me?" Minion was saying as Megamind held his head in his hands and grumbled about incompetent fish.

"Can somebody stamp my frequent kidnapping card?" Roxanne asked with a happy smile, knowing that any second now she would be scooped up by the hero and that Megamind would be going back to jail in record time.

"Ohhhohohohohoooo!" Megamind chuckled as he stalked towards her, "You of all people should know we discontinued that promotion! Chiao chiao all!" He waved to the camera behind him as Minion shook the can of Knock-out spray and held it up to her face.

The next thing she knew, she was lying on the sofa in her apartment, the evening news playing softly on the telly on the other side of the room. Megamind's photo was displayed on the screen above the caption "_Megamind still at large_."


	2. Side Effects

_Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Here comes the story itself, no more re-telling. I have used a few scenes in the story along the way, just to set the time frame and location a little but nothing as major as the first chapter. This is my first attempt at writing a long-running romance, so I really have no idea if it is any good or not. Please please PLEASE tellme if it goes too...gushy. I've tried to keep them IN but hey, this is an AU, if I decide that Roxanne is going to go waterskiing over a shark then she will! (Or maybe not) _

_So, here comes the A/Uish stuff. Oh, and a fair ammount of swearing. Consider yourself warned._

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><p>Getting two doses of knock-out spray in one day left Roxanne with a pounding headache that even a double-dose of painkillers wasn't sorting out. She rubbed the skin on her wrists and ankles, which were slightly sore and chaffed from where the ropes had rubbed her a little, and noticed with a little surprise that they had removed her shoes before setting her down on her sofa. She guessed that was Minion's idea, he always seemed more concerned than his boss for her comfort. Normally, any girl would have freaked out at this, wondering exactly what else her kidnapper had done but she knew as an absolute fact that Megamind was nothing if not honourable. He had reacted with such shock and disgust when the newspapers had accused him of 'having his wicked way with her' after his first kidnapping attempt that it was clear that sort of thing would never be an issue.<p>

With a sigh she lay back down on the sofa and stared blankly at the TV at the same moment as a photo of herself flashed up on screen.

"_Star reporter for channel 8 news, Roxanne Ritchie, is still missing, presumably still in the evil clutches of Metro City's resident super-villain Megamind. Miss Ritchie was kidnapped this morning prior to the dedication of the Metroman Museum which also happened to be the starting point for Megamind's latest plan of attack. Miss Ritchie has been Megamind's kidnap victim of choice ever since her relationship with the City's hero, Metroman became public knowledge!" _

"Yeah, _whatever_!" Roxanne muttered as she buried her head in the sofa cushion. She hated that rumour more than anything else and she had been furious with Metroman when she found out he was fanning the flames instead of denying the whole thing. He had eventually convinced her that it was a good thing, she would be able to get all of the news coverage that she needed to advance her career, and he would get the fan-girls off his back if they though he was seriously involved with someone. At first it had been OK, she had found it funny, that she had this strange little secret she was keeping from the rest of the world. And then, a few months later, she realised that there was one major problem. Getting a date with someone, when the entire world thought you were the girlfriend of the strongest man in the universe, was very difficult indeed.

It had been a long time Since Roxanne had had anything more than a casual flirt with some nameless guy in a bar. She had grown used to the idea, but for some reason the feelings of frustration had returned leaving her feeling hollow inside. The only guy that seemed to not care about the idea of her and Metroman being an item was her camera man, _Hal Stewart_ and Roxanne promised herself that she would never be _that _desperate.

"_Megamind is still at large and being hunted by both Metroman and the Metro City police department. If anyone has any information regarding his whereabouts or the whereabouts of Roxanne Ritchie, please contact the police immediately."_ Roxanne wanted to throw something at the news anchor just to prove that she was right there listening to every inane word she was coming out with.

A soft whooshing noise came from outside her balcony windows and Roxanne didn't even have to look up as the glass doors slid open.

"So _this_ is where you've been hiding." His cape swirled around his ankles as he strolled across the room towards Roxanne's prone form.

"Who's hiding, I only just _woke up_!" She groaned as she pulled herself up into a sitting position, "_What the hell happened_? Last thing I knew you blasted out of the observatory."

"Whatever weapon it was that he intended to defeat me with went off not long after. The observatory was completely destroyed, that one _might_ have actually _hurt_." Metroman said as he glanced around the room, "The shock wave actually knocked me out of the sky, and for some reason I've been having trouble finding you ever since. The noise left a ringing in my ears for the past _4 hours_!" Roxanne rolled her eyes and stood up, walking past Wayne without even looking up at him.

"Yeah well, I have no idea where we were, like I said, I just woke up _here_." She said as she poured herself a glass of wine. She stomped down the thought that it would only make her head worse, and figured that if it got any worse she would simply fall unconscious and sleep it off.

"Wait," Wayne said as he turned to her with a frown, "You woke up _here_? Who brought you back?"

"_Yeah_, it's not like he doesn't know where I live! He's kidnapped me from here often enough." She took a large mouthful of the wine, closing her eyes as she felt it tingle down her throat.

"_What_?" Wayne looked like this was the worst news he had heard in a long time, "and you are OK with this?"

"What's gotten into you?" Roxanne demanded as she span on her heel to frown furiously at him.

"Me? You are the one who seems OK with a super-villain having access to your home!" Wayne leaned down so that he was at eye level with her and glared right back at her, "What if he just walks in one night and-"

"Don't you even dare!" She shouted as she pointed the wine bottle at him as if it was a knife, "Don't you even dare suggest something like that, you should know better than that!"

"He's _evil_ Roxie! Who knows what he is capable of?"

"He may be evil," with the emphasis on the word 'may' Roxanne made it clear that she was not convinced of the villains self confessed 'evilness', "but he does have standards. He has never once tried anything like that and you damn well know it!"

"OK, OK. Calm down." Wayne held his hands up at her in surrender, "I'm just a little shocked by this is all."

"I'm surprised you didn't realise. How many times has he kidnapped me? It doesn't take a genius to figure it out, all he would have to do is look in the phone book!" Roxanne sat down on one of the bar stools that stood against the breakfast bar and held her throbbing head in her hands. She had a feeling that Wayne was not going to be going anywhere soon and all she wanted to do was to curl up in bed and sleep for a week.

"You sound like you are _defending_ him."

Roxanne's eyes snapped open in shock at his statement. She realised with a sinking sensation that she _was_ actually defending him. Her reasons behind it were the most troubling, she honestly didn't like people thinking things about him that simply weren't true. There was so much more to Megamind than he let show and it had fascinated her for years, he obviously had hidden depths, that was clear enough in his relationship with Minion. His flare for invention was truly astounding and she shuddered to think what he would be able to accomplish if he put some serious effort into it. She had believed for ages that both Megamind and Metroman were merely acting out roles as if they were on a stage.

"So what," Roxanne said after a while, "I just don't like people accusing him of something so hideous." She turned away from him, trying to signal that their conversation is over but knowing that he wouldn't take the hint.

"I'm just worried about you, I don't want you getting hurt." Wayne's tone of voice had turned back to the brotherly form it usually took when he was talking to her.

"I'm a big girl, I can look after myself." She muttered as she poured herself another glass of wine, feeling the effects of it already, "and I most definitely do not need protecting from _Megamind_. When have I _ever_ actually screamed for your help?"

"Roxie," Wayne had begun pacing back and forth in an attempt to get his thoughts in order and to rein in his temper, "You are beginning to sound like you don't mind being kidnapped all the time."

"_Excuse me_?" She was out of her seat in an instant, jabbing an accusing finger into his rock hard chest, an angry scowl on her face, "Don't _mind_ being _kidnapped_? How _dare _you? You are the reason I'm in this stupid situation in the first place, if you had never talked me into going along with this whole stupid fucking '_relationship_' scam then I would never have been chosen as his victim of choice! How dare you accuse me of anything! You could always just stop this fucking game any time you know, that _is_ all this is, a stupid fucking _game_ with me being the trophy! Well I'm fucking sick of it!" She stood there, panting in the aftermath of her rant, the wine and the after affects of the knock-out spray leaving her in an argumentative mood.

"Whoa, Roxie..." Wayne backed away from the shouting woman and decided that this situation was better left alone, he may be a Hero but some things were beyond even his powers, "I think I should just leave you to calm down for a bit, I-" The nearly empty bottle of wine suddenly went hurtling past his head, smashing against the wall behind him. The dark red wine left a stain on the cream walls as it trailed down slowly and she screamed at him to get out.

There was a voice inside her head that was telling her this was not like her at all but that part of her was only a very small part and her anger and frustration at the events of her recent life was bubbling too strongly.

Wayne made a quick retreat out onto her balcony and blasted off into the darkening sky, looking back over his shoulder briefly as if to check to see if she was somehow chasing after him. He wouldn't put it past her, judging by how foul her mood was.

Roxanne screamed her aggravation into her hands as she sat back down on the bar stool. Tears were suddenly pouring down her face as the fury that had consumed her burnt out and left a pit of depression in it's wake. She was so confused by the whole thing and her head hurt so much. A sudden shuffling noise from behind her tore a shriek from her throat as she span, brandishing the now empty wine glass like a deadly weapon, she shrank back against the breakfast bar, all of the bravado and aggression she had displayed only moments before were now gone.

"It's OK, it's OK." He raised his hands up at her, showing her that he was unarmed as he crouched down slightly, ready to dodge any attack she may throw at him.

"Megamind?" Roxanne slumped as a very strange mix of shock and relief flooded over her, "What... what..." She was panting for breath and had turned a very pale colour. She clutched on to the bar for support as she sat back on the stool.

"I'm sorry, I..." Megamind inched towards her, not wanting to incur her wrath but wanting to make sure she was OK, "I had only just put you on your sofa when you started to wake up, I, I wanted to make sure that there were no lingering effects of the spray, it is not every day you get two doses, Minion used a little too much the second time around."

"But why are you still here?" Roxanne asked, gaining a little bit more of herself back again, "Wait, did you see... oh my god."

"I was about to leave when..." He glanced over at the doors to the balcony and moved sideways smoothly as if to hide himself from whoever may be watching, "the brainbots alerted me to Metroman's presence, unfortunately I didn't have time to make an exit."

"But... how come he didn't see you?" Roxanne was genuinely confused by the strange situation, not to mention the fact that she was having trouble even seeing in a straight line at the moment.

"Oh I had that one figured out a long time ago! If he has no reason to suspect anything then his _moral code_ will not let him use his x-ray vision in someone's home. _Invasion of privacy_ and all that." Megamind seemed to be relaxing slightly which for some reason made Roxanne feel a little happier.

"Oh..." Roxanne couldn't think of anything else to say and a silence dragged on for a few more moments before Megamind smiled slightly at her and sighed.

"Thank you," a slight violet blush made it's way to his cheeks as his smile reached his eyes.

"What for?" She whispered with a frown, the sudden change in his behaviour just added to her confusion.

"For defending me." The smile he was giving her was the most genuine she had ever seen and a flurry of emotions ran through her, "not many people would."

"Well, I..." She took a deep breath and wondered if any of this was actually happening, the wine had affected her very quickly and she knew she was slurring her words more than just a little, "I just don't like people making accusations about things they can't possibly understand."

He stood there just looking at her for a few moments, that same smile still on his face. He had been hiding behind the door to her bathroom, praying that neither of the apartments occupants felt the call of nature any time soon. He had been outraged as he listened to Metroman accuse him of wanting to take advantage of her in that way, and his heart had nearly stopped when he heard Roxanne's defence. His pulse had kicked up a good few notches when Metroman had accused her of _liking_ being kidnapped, he had known for a while that she, in some perverse way, enjoyed at least part of their time together, even if it was just the battle of wits they entered into each and every time. He hadn't expected her explosive response and some voice in the back of his head pointed out that she almost sounded _too_ defensive, maybe there was something in the accusation after all.

"So, errm... look, I'm too tired for this, I just wanna go to bed so if you don't mind-" Roxanne moved to stand up and head over to her front door to ask him to leave but her coordination had deserted her and her legs gave way beneath her. With a squeak of surprise she squeezed her eyes shut as she felt her body fall.

Everything happened in such a blur that Megamind didn't even realise exactly what had happened when he found her in his arms. She clung to him almost desperately, as if she would fall to some sort of doom if he let go of her. Her head was against his chest, no doubt his heart beat thundering in her ear as it threatened to burst out from his chest. He had caught her just as she was about to hit the floor which left him kneeling on the floor. When he realised this he also realised that she was splayed across his lap, one arm trapped between their bodies, he sat very still, trying to remember how to breath. He was about to say something to her when he realised that she wasn't moving either.

Roxanne, who was never normally much of a drinker, was very unused to the sensation of the floor spinning round. When she had stood up she had felt the world tip alarmingly and she had reached out for the nearest thing she could find. Her heart skipped a beat when she felt his surprisingly strong arms pull her against his chest. He was warm and soft despite the leather studded outfit he insisted on wearing and the last thought that crossed Roxanne's mind was that it just felt right!

Only moments after all of this she slipped into unconsciousness and lay against his chest breathing steadily against his suit.

He felt a little numb when he finally got back to the evil lair. The brainbots greeted him with their usual excitement and Minion came rushing out as soon as he heard the commotion.

"Sir!" The fish yelled, a relieved smile on his face, he knew how annoyed Megamind got when he became too protective but he just couldn't help worrying, "I was beginning to wonder what had happened to you. The watch didn't say you were back in prison so I..." Minion felt very uncomfortable about hiding the truth from his friend, there had never been any secrets between them, ever. When Megamind had not returned promptly after taking Miss Ritchie back home Minion had begun to get a little worried and had done the only thing he could do under the circumstances. He had activated the watches remote tracking device. Needless to say the fish found it very strange indeed that Megamind would spend so long at Miss Ritchie's apartment after dropping her off.

"No need, Minion." Megamind waved a hand dismissively as he walked past, not really paying attention to anything. Minion frowned, it was not like the blue man to be so quiet after a nearly-win. Today had been a good day, they had been able to avoid going back to jail and the death ray itself had been a success, despite the warming-up issues. The observatory had been completely _obliterated_ giving Metro City a very impressive display of power and as far as Minion could tell, Metroman had not thought of trying to destroy it yet.

"Sir? Is everything OK?" Minion asked as he followed his boss through the lair. Megamind moved like he was in some sort of trance. He unclipped the collar and cape and simply let it drop heavily to the floor behind him, a couple of brainbots dashed out moments later to whisk it away. When he reached his 'thinking chair' he sat down heavily and leaned back with a sigh.

"No, Minion." He said finally, not looking pleased at all, "Something went wrong. There is a problem with the knock-out spray, I think."

"What do you mean Sir, have there been side effects?" Minion was genuinely concerned, they had tested the knock-out spray very carefully and had perfected the formula years ago after they discovered it caused short term memory loss among a few other mild side effects.

"The higher dose she received earlier had an adverse affect when it was mixed with an alcoholic substance. The residual affect of the spray appeared to enhance the effect of the beverage." He rubbed his forehead with his fingers as he frowned at the memory.

"You mean she got _drunk_? While you were still _there_?" Minion asked, trying to clear up the confusion in his own mind.

"_Mr Goody-two-shoes_ showed up before I could leave. I was stuck in her apartment, forced to listen to her _arguing_ with the _hero_!" Megamind couldn't help but smirk at the memory, it had been good seeing that all was not perfect and rosy between the pair, "She only had a couple of glasses of wine and she became quite inebriated."

"She was arguing with Metroman?" Minion had the urge to sit down in order to properly digest this news.

"You should have heard it Minion! She threw a bottle of _wine _at him! And she _defended_ me to _him_!" Megamind looked up at his friend hopefully, a grin finding it's way to his face.

"Errm... well, that's good, I suppose." Minion was utterly confused by the whole thing, not to mention his boss's reaction, "But she is still his girlfriend, isn't she Sir?"

"It didn't really look like it from what I saw, but I suppose she must be." He slumped in his chair a little more before shaking his head to try and get his thoughts back on track, "Now, we must find out what caused the reaction. It must have been the combined effect of the spray and the drink but it was an unnecessary reaction." He muttered to himself as he leaned forward to the drafting table in front of him, calling on a brainbot to bring him his notes on the chemical composition of the knock-out spray.

Roxanne had never really understood the phrase '_bear with a sore head'_ until today. She groaned as she shifted her position on the bed, not knowing if she should just go back to sleep or head into the bathroom and just hurry things along. As her alarm went off suddenly, filling her head with the most painful sensation she had ever come across, she knew the pounding in her head would never let her sleep again. Feeling for all the world like she had been hit by a bus, she dragged herself out of bed and headed into her bathroom, trying not to even look at the toilet. Blindly she turned the shower on and striped off her crumpled red dress and climbed inside the warm stream of water. After a few moments of trying to get her balance she decided that sitting down would be better. As she sat in a heap of limbs on the floor of the shower, she closed her eyes and tried to remember exactly what had happened.

She could remember the kidnapping, and Megamind's failed attempt to defeat Metroman once and for all, then she woke up on her sofa and instantly reached for the a bottle of wine. She was used to drinking on her own and although she would deny it to anyone else she could easily polish off a couple of bottles of wine to herself in one night. Events after that had become very blurry, she remembered Wayne showing up, and she could remember having a _very_ heated argument with him but she couldn't remember what it was about, the feeling of anger and frustration was still very clear but what had sparked it off? She held her head in her hands, sighing as the heat from the water was finally beginning to unlock her tired muscles. She was missing something else, something important had happened and she needed to remember what had happened.

With a gasp the memory came back, leaving her feeling more confused than ever. He had still been there, after Wayne had left. Megamind had been in her apartment the whole time, he had heard everything and had … what? She could remember a smile, his eyes shining at her in that fantastic shade of green she had never seen _anywhere_ else. He had smiled at her with such a genuine look on his face, she felt herself heating up at just the memory. She remembered standing up, wanting to ask him to leave, falling over and... She felt her cheeks heat up even more as she remembered the sensation of being caught in Megamind's arms, of being pulled into his chest as he stopped her from landing in a painful heap on the floor. He didn't _have_ to catch her, in fact, had she been lucid enough she would have put money on him allowing her to fall so he could stand there and smirk.

The feeling of being in his arms was the most confusing thing of all. She could remember how his arms felt as the tightened around her back, as her hers lay against his chest, his heartbeat pounding in her ear, her legs draping themselves around his waist as he pulled her firmly against him. His body felt a lot stronger and warmer than she had ever anticipated and she remembered with a blush that they had never, actually, properly touched before. At least not while she had ever been awake.

She had felt safe. _Secure_. More so in that moment than she had ever felt when being carried by Wayne, and the revelation shocked her to her core. Her hangover chose that moment to remind of her existence as the shock she was experiencing mixed with her roiling stomach and she dashed out of the shower and promptly threw up the remains of last nights wine. After a few too many painful dry heaves, she finally managed to calm her raging insides and sat, panting, her head resting against the cool tiled wall. The act of throwing up had, for some reason, eased the sensation of the hangover. Eventually, she dragged herself up of the floor to try and make herself eat something and to find the strongest painkillers she could possibly get her hands on. She wondered what her next encounter with the super-villain would be like and mentally berated herself for the blush that formed on her cheeks. If anyone had seen that display she would never have been able to live it down, the story about her involvement with Metroman was the only thing keeping the tabloids from going to town on her with a Stockholm Syndrome story.

Wayne Scott sat on the top of the globe that was suspended above the giant marble statue of himself that had been unveiled only the day before. He sighed as he watched the city's occupants go about their daily lives completely unaware of the feelings that were plaguing their resident hero. He was deeply concerned for Roxanne, she was one of his only true friends and he had seen a side of her the night before that he never wanted to see again. If only he had been able to locate them after the observatory had been destroyed, maybe she would not have gotten into the state he had found her in later that day. He had never seen her so furious and he honestly couldn't understand why.

She had it easy, all she had to was stand in front of a camera and tell the world how horrible Megamind was and how fantastic Metroman was. _Simple._ She didn't have to worry about always being there to save _everyone _from _every little thing_ that interrupted their daily lives.

Being a hero was tiring. He always had to be on guard and there were always people ready to complain if he didn't show up to stop something. A bank robbery in progress could be handled by the city's more than capable police force but if he didn't show up, at _least _one of the tabloids would accuse him of slacking. If someone was injured by a drunk driver, people would wonder why Metroman didn't notice it and put a stop to it sooner.

Aside from the weekly scuffle with Megamind there really wasn't much for a hero of his calibre to _do_ in Metro City. There was only what he considered petty crime, nothing really bad ever happened, not like he read about in other cities. He had read about cities around the world that had _real_ problems, even tropical paradises like Hawaii had higher crime rates than Metro City. If Megamind wasn't involved then it probably wasn't even worth mentioning on the news. Metroman was becoming bored of it all. Oh sure, the fights with Megamind were entertaining but if you knew that you could truly _never_ be defeated then what was the point? Where was the _excitement_.

He had often scoffed at the journalists and authors who accused him of enabling Megamind to continue on his campaign against the city when he was fully capable of taking the super-villain out of action once and for all. People accused him of not taking his position as Metro City's superhero seriously by allowing Megamind to continue living, that he should have been killed in the name of justice from the very beginning, thus saving the city countless millions of dollars. Metroman always countered these suggestions with one plain and simple fact. Megamind had never intentionally hurt anyone and had not once directly caused the death of any citizen of Metro City. Roxanne was the only one who was ever put into the line of fire and even when their battles spilled out into populated areas, beyond the bounds of the evacuation zones, Megamind was careful that no innocent bystanders were ever hurt. It was rumoured that as he grew up the city's prison, he had seen first hand what human beings could do to each other and he wanted no part in it.

Wayne had grown up in the lap of luxury, never wanting for anything. He practically landed in the Scott mansion with a silver spoon in his mouth. He had always enjoyed the natural popularity created by being the adopted son of the richest and most powerful family in the state, and by being the only flying boy probably in the world. He could lift a fully grown adult sooner than he could walk and never went anywhere without being surrounded by a crowd of fawning onlookers. That had propelled him through his educational career, right up until he graduated from high-school and Megamind, as he had taken to calling himself, had issued his first real challenge against the young hero.

Ever since then nothing had really changed. Their battles became more elaborate and ornate and their infamous witty banter became increasingly skewed and confusing. Yet the game had never changed. It ran like a well rehearsed script. Megamind would break himself out of jail, put some nefarious plan into motion, kidnap Roxanne from whatever public event she was attending, threaten her with any number of evil inventions, put a city-wide call out to challenge Metroman to a duel of some description, throw an even larger evil invention at the hero in an attempt to defeat him once and for all, only for that invention to either fail miserably or blow up completely in his own face. Metroman would find and rescue Roxanne and then would haul Megamind back to his jail cell. Wash, rinse, repeat.

It was always the same, never changing, never ending. He could imagine them still carrying on in old age! He was pushing 40 and was beginning to go grey around the temples. His fans said it gave him more of a _distinguished _look but to him it was a reminder that time was marching on. He had no idea how old age was going to affect him and he could not sense any change in his powers what so ever. He really didn't want to be going toe to toe with Megamind for the rest of his life no matter how long that may be. He doubted that Megamind would be able to _survive_ his own inventions for that long.

With a heavy sigh he blasted off into the sky to head back to his secret fortress. He needed to relax and the only way he knew of doing that required a guitar and an audience composed entirely of his own memorabilia.

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><p>AN: I had a slight issue with some page breaks, I'll try and fix it later if it stays broken after uploading.

Oh yes, and **please drink responsibly**!


	3. Back to the grindstone

_This one is a bit shorter than the first two but it fits in with the way the story goes and I hope it dosen't dissapoint. So far the feedback has been excellent, thank you! I'm glad that people are enjoying it up till now._ I'm very worried about this story turning into one massive Cliche so please, be honest in reviews. ^_^

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><p>"Hey Roxie!" Hal yelled as he saw her approaching the news van, "What happened to you? I was like, <em>so worried<em> about you! I was about to mount a search party to come and rescue you but like, there was this thing and it-"

"Don't worry about it Hal," Roxanne sighed as she walked right past him despite his obvious request for a hug, "lets just get a move on, I want to get this shoot over with as soon as possible."

"Err, OK." He shrugged as he hurried around to the drivers side of the van, "but like, if you wanna talk about it or anything, feel free. I don't even mind if you wanna cry on my shoulder or something, you know?"

"Thanks Hal but I think I'll be fine." She sighed as she took a sip from a bottle of water. Her hangover had eased to just a dull throb every time she moved, or thought, or _looked _at anything, but apart from that she was fit for duty. She had learned early on that when you were the face of a major news network you could not call in sick unless you were injured in a way that would have been obvious on camera. Hangovers did _not_ count.

She sighed in agony as Hal pulled the van sharply out of the car park, apparently trying to show off his driving skills. Roxanne had sussed out her camera man's intentions the very first time she met him. He was the latest in a long line of camera men and each of his predecessors had left due to the amount of added stress being the camera man of Megamind's favourite toy brought to the job. Only one cameraman had ever made it past 6 months of service with her and that, unfortunately for Roxanne, was _Hal_. She often tried to remind herself that he was a good guy really, he was a little creepy but he wouldn't actually do anything to harm her. She figured that in his own way he was trying to look out for her, yet the amount of tenacity that he pursued her with was _unnerving_. He was the only man in Metro City that relished the prospect of getting a date with Metroman's 'girlfriend'.

"So what _happened_ with you yesterday. One minute you were there and the next you were on the TV with Megamind! What's up with _that_?" He grinned over at her, taking his eyes off the road for far too long. He cursed loudly at a driver who pulled out in front of him causing him to swerve the van when he noticed the gap between them closing with alarming speed, "I noticed Metroman wasn't there to save you! I heard he got _lost_! What a _looser_! If I had Metroman's powers, I'd take Megamind out _once and for all_ and I would make _sure_ that you were safe, for like, always!"

"That's sweet Hal but you really don't need to worry." Roxanne said as she stared directly ahead, he hadn't noticed the fact that she was off her game today and she was determined to keep it that way.

"No, _seriously_!" The van lurched alarmingly as Hal took his hands off the wheel to gesture his sincerity towards her, "Metroman is seriously _just a looser_, I don't know what you see in him! Yesterday was just the icing on the cake! I mean, he left you to_ die_!"

"Oh come off it Hal!" Roxanne scowled at him through her bangs, "You know nothing about any of this! You wouldn't know a hero if it came and bit you on the ass!" She regretted it as soon as she said it, knowing that Hal never reacted very well to anger. He was like a child, always throwing some form of temper tantrum if he didn't get his own way, which was almost all of the time with Roxanne. Hardly a week went by when the cameraman didn't try it on with her. She almost wished she _was_ going out with Metroman, maybe then she would have actually been able to do something about Hal.

"Hey, I'm just trying to look out for you! Believe it or not I don't want you to get hurt!" He yelled back at her before scrunching his face up like an indignant child, "But you know what? _Fine_! Just do what you want, _see if I care_!"

Thankfully the rest of the journey went by in silence, with Roxanne trying to force her way past the lingering pain in her head. She tried to keep her thoughts away from Megamind and the strange conversation they had had the night before. Roxanne liked to think she had everything figured out. Her life, aside from the kidnappings and the mild peril, was as damn near perfect as she could get it. She had the job of her dreams, one of the best apartments in the whole of the city and she was _never_ bored. She got invited to all of the swankiest parties, attended every public event the city could throw and she was on _first name_ terms with the Mayor. There were only really one thing that was keeping her life from being exactly the way she wanted it to be and, contrary to popular belief, that was not actually Megamind. His presence in her life gave her something that not a lot of people in her situation could normally get. He was interesting and funny and above all else he was so smart she could almost _smell_ his IQ. Most women who looked like her, dressed like her and had her job were air-headed bimbos who would have jumped at the chance to climb into bed with someone like Metroman. Roxanne had always tended to go for the intellectual type and while she refused to believe that there was anything more than a little rivalry and some form of bizarre professional relationship between herself and Megamind, she actually enjoyed his company a lot more than she could care to admit.

If he hadn't have been the city's super-villain, then she could have seen things being _very_ different between them, but then if he wasn't then she would probably have never even met him. He was the biggest enigma that she had ever come across and Roxanne was actually quite pleased when she realised she was the only person in the entire world that was in a position to actually figure him out. The authors of all of those books about him claimed that they knew all there was to know, they they had the _true facts_ about him yet as far as she could tell, none of them had ever even met him. A couple of them claimed to have interviewed him in the prison but she was fairly confident that whatever stories about himself he had divulged would have been either gross exaggerations or fully-fledged lies. Megamind liked to play games with people and his favourite games involved messing with peoples heads.

As the van came to a rather sudden stop, Roxanne shook herself out of her musings and tried to focus on the job at hand. They were due to do the evening's report live from the wreckage of the destroyed observatory, reporting on Megamind's latest failed plot and Metroman's subsequent success. The fact that Metroman had not actually _captured_ the villain this time was a new spin on an old story but it was one that her producers probably wanted her to gloss over slightly. Roxanne smirked to herself and rehearsed in her mind exactly what she was going to say.

"Whoa, _dude_!" Hal said as he climbed out of the van and jogged up the rest of the drive to lean over the edge of the crater, "I wonder how deep it is?" The death ray had carved a perfectly cylindrical crater in the earth, and as the observatory was on the edge of the lake, water had rushed into the hole giving it the look of a very surreal lagoon.

"Jump in and find out." Roxanne muttered to herself as she watched him leaning over the edge. One side of the observatory was still in tact, apparently the section that held whatever classed as a reception area and office space. She carefully stepped through the broken glass of the door and made her way through the rubble filled corridors. The section of the observatory that hadn't been obliterated was actually not too badly damaged, Roxanne supposed that as it was on a cliff, the blast had been deflected over the lake, away from the section of the building she was in.

A gust of wind whipped her hair around as she pushed open a door that was still clinging with determination to the shattered door frame. On the other side she found a 5 foot wide platform that curved around the edge of the crater in a semicircle. She edged closer to the precipice and peered over, the water below was the deepest blue she had ever seen and the ripples on the surface glittered in the sunlight giving it a peaceful appearance juxtaposing the violence of the explosion that still sang in the air like a living memory. Hal's shouting voice snapped her out of her musings and she headed back towards the news van to set up and find the best possible angle for the broadcast.

"_The villainous Megamind is still at large following the failure of yet another attempt to defeat Metroman and take over control of our beloved city. Nothing has been heard from him since the explosion of the Metro City Observatory which, thankfully, was unoccupied at the time._" The smile that Roxanne gave the camera was not as genuine as it usually was but this fact could only have been picked up by those who knew her best "_Megamind has since gone to ground, and the citizens of Metro City are urged to avoid any contact with the villain at all costs. He is considered armed and dangerous. To report any sightings please contact the number displayed on screen now_."

Megamind sighed and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. It had been a very long 24 hours since the failure of the death ray and he had a lot on him mind. He tried desperately to keep his mind on his work. Minion had insisted that the Death Ray had been a _nearly-win_, that if it had not been for the warming-up issue then it _could_ have worked. After all, it was a fact that the explosion had knocked the hero senseless, the surveillance brainbots had caught it all on camera after the interference caused by the explosion had cleared. He had been disorientated, confused, and apparently unable to use any of his super hearing or vision. The Evil Lair was not even a full mile from the observatory and yet the hero had not been able to locate them.

"_Authorities are asking today, why Metroman was unable to apprehend the escaped criminal. The explosion of the observatory apparently disorientated the hero enough for the fugitive to escape unhindered_." Roxanne's expression changed ever so slightly, it was so discreet in fact that Megamind wasn't sure if he had seen it correctly. For a split second she had looked almost _smug_ about the fact that Metroman had been unable to locate the lair. Megamind found a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth as he sat up a little straighter in his chair.

"_Is Metroman loosing his edge? Is Megamind getting that little bit closer to actually defeating his life-long nemesis? This reporter, for one, is determined to find out, and as soon as we do, we will be bringing you another exclusive on the continuing war between Metroman and Megamind. This is Roxanne Ritchie reporting live from the site of the wreckage of Metro City Observatory for KMCP 8 news_."

Megamind found himself grinning from ear to ear, at some point he had begun to lean towards the screen and was almost touching it as the footage switched back to the studio. Apparently, Miss Ritchie's broadcast had not gone entirely to plan, judging by the slightly flustered expressions the news anchors wore. With a chuckle Megamind stood and strode across the lair.

"Minion!" Megamind bellowed, his voice echoing off the various half completed inventions in the vast storage room, "Minion?"

"I'm coming Sir!" Minion's voice seemed to come from everywhere at once as Megamind made his way to his drafting table. The large table was surrounded by bits of paper dangling from the ceiling on long pieces of thick red string. It had been a method of bringing order to his thoughts that he had used ever since childhood. He had no clue how he came up with the idea but it had worked for him from the beginning.

"You needed me for something Sir?" Minion asked with a smile, no matter what the circumstances were, Minion could always find something in their lives to be cheerful about. Megamind often thought that as long as he himself was simply alive then the fish would be perfectly happy.

"While the timing of the Death Ray was _woefully_ inaccurate it was in-fact a _complete success_!" Megamind was oblivious to Minion's eye-roll as the fish shook his head, having told his boss that very same thing not a few hours before, "Metroman was rendered almost _powerless_ by it's effects! I think we are on to something!"

"What's gotten your mood up so quickly Sir?" Minion asked, "not that I'm complaining but you seemed so down earlier."

"Miss Ritchie's report from the observatory paints Metroman in a very bad light indeed! She even said that I am getting close to _actually defeating_ Metroman!" He danced excitedly on the balls of his feet, grinning like a maniac.

"Did she _actually_ say that?" Minion frowned, he couldn't imagine the reporter making a declaration like that live on air.

"Ooooh Minion, I think Metroman is in the cat house for sure!" Megamind ranted as he grabbed up pieces of scrap paper and gave them to the brainbots to hang once he had scribbled a few notes on them in brightly coloured pencil, "You should have heard it Minion, she was _vicious_!"

"I'm sorry Sir, you've lost me." Minion was used to his friend going off an a random rant every now and then but this one was one of the strangest.

"_Miss Ritchie_, Minion, she's still mad at Mr Goody-Two-Shoes! You should have seen her broadcast, she _literally_ said that Metroman was incapacitated by my genius invention and that his powers are so _useless_ that he couldn't even rescue her from my dastardly clutches!"

"I don't think she would have said it quite like that Sir," Minion smiled and contented himself with tidying up the cluttered workspace as he listened to his boss, "and the phrase is '_dog house_'"

"The species is not the important thing Minion, the fact remains is that they are fighting! Which means Mr Perfect-Hair's game may be off at the moment! We need to strike again, and quickly, if we are to finally defeat Metroman and take over the city! I already have a wickedly brilliant idea Minion. Now, I need room to work!" Megamind dismissed Minion was a wave of his hand and didn't even watch the fish leave, a pleased smile on his face.

"And we are so done! That was the last broadcast!" Hal said cheerfully as he turned off the camera and started the walk down the hill to the van, "So do you wanna go grab a burger or something? I know I am absolutely _starving_, I know this great place not too far from my place we can stop at, they do the _best _triple decker bacon burger that you will absolutely _love_!"

"Errm, sorry Hal, I think I'd rather just head home," It was times like this that Roxanne wished she had her own car, after moving to the city she had sold her beautiful little Honda, as the news network gave her free use of the van, and the public transport in Metro City was exceptional. The only down side was that in situations like this she was well and truly stuck for a lift back. It was a very long walk back to the city, let alone all the way back to her town centre apartment.

"I didn't get much sleep after yesterday so I'm still a bit tired." She winced internally when she saw the look on his face. She knew what that look meant, she had now just provided him with a fantastic image of her in bed in her underwear or some other even more disturbing outfit.

"Oh OK, no problem. Some other time then yeah?" He said, the smile never quite disappearing from his face. She nodded in what she hoped was a non-committal manner and handed him her microphone.

"I'll be down in a minute, I just want to check something out before we head back." She turned away from him, without waiting for his response, and headed closer to the observatory. When she had been giving her last report she had noticed something over Hal's shoulder. She was sure that she must have been imagining things but her mind just would not let it go. During the broadcasts she was stood with her back to the observatory which in turn was in-between her and the city. Metro City was providing a brilliant back drop to the report but something had stirred within her when she had been helping Hal frame the shot. She had seen almost that _exact _view before. Everything had clicked into place when she had spied something in the distance during the broadcast.

As she got up to the side of the destroyed observatory she came to a stand still on the edge of the cliff. Looking out over the curve of the shore line she scanned over the battered and derelict buildings of the old industrial district. That had been a major part of the city at one point, acting as a port that handled freight that crossed the lake from the neighbouring states. Now, only a few of the buildings were in-tact, mainly acting little more than storage buildings for online retailers. The area was hardly ever visited by anyone who didn't have business there and it was widely accepted to be the location of choice for the city's criminal activity. The police department left the area alone as the city itself was their main priority, the business owners in 'Old Town' as it was dubbed hardly ever made any complaints and as long as events in that area didn't spill over into the city then people could forget it was there and move on.

Roxanne had never bothered to look too closely at the area but one building in particular had caught her attention. After a few moments of searching she found it. Nestled on the shore of the lake with a large warehouse structure attached to what looked to be a power sub-station was a building complex with one very unusual modification.

"It _can't_ be..." She whispered to herself as she stared at the building. It was very far away but the shape of the structure was unmistakeable. Sitting on top of the warehouse was a dome that looked like it precisely matched the dome that would have capped off the observatory behind her. She had figured that Megamind had built a replica of the observatory in his hideout, but she never would have guessed that he would actually build it on the roof of the building! He couldn't possibly have been that stupid. Suddenly her face contorted into a fierce frown as something dawned on her. If she could spot the building as easily as that then why hadn't Metroman found it? It was _obvious_! With an angry snarl she made a mental note of where the building was in relation to the district's other land marks and, turning sharply on her heel, stalked down the hill to the van.

With such a thunderous expression on her face, Hal chose to remain silent, by way of self-preservation, for the whole of the trip which suited Roxanne just fine. Without even saying a word of thanks she jumped out of the van once he pulled up at the office and marched inside to finish off her days work. After glaring at her boss when he tried to reprimand her for her final broadcast, she sat at her computer and fired up the news archives, searching it for any and all information relating to Old Town.

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><p><em>AN: It is a question I was shouting at the TV while watching Megamind for the first time. How the hell did Metroman miss the fact that there was a fake observatory sat ontop of an 'abandoned' warehouse. Well, I have no idea really how it happened in he movie *cough*plothole*cough* but I figured that with an explosion as big as the one the death ray created, super vision and hearing would not be fun things to have. Ever been at a concert and sat too close to the speakers? Yeah. not the best of fun._

_And I'm afraid there is going to be more that a fair share of Wayne-bashing in this fic. Lovely little Roxie is very much at the end of her teather with the hero._


	4. NoseyReporter Skills atingling

_Time to get a little bit of action underway. This is not quite a re-telling, more like an alternative way of running a scene. I hope it comes acros as a plausible situation. Happy reading._

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><p>"Oh just leave me alone for <em>once<em> would you?" Roxanne hissed at her phone as she switched it off. Hal had been calling her all day, ever since she had gone into work early and had collected the keys to the van herself. Normally Hal was the driver, but this was something she needed to do on her own. If her bosses asked then she was doing some extra research on what could turn out to be the biggest scoop of the century and no, she couldn't talk about it until she had more information in order to protect her sources. It was half true, it _would_ be the scoop of the century if she chose to report on it, but that was not necessarily her intention, hence she had left Hal high and dry back at the office without any form of transportation.

While working her way through college as a runner for one of the minor news networks, she had made sure to get friendly with the technical staff. They had taught her everything she would ever need to know about the proper and professional use of a camera including all of the technical processes involved in video editing. In short, when needed she could be a self sufficient, one woman show and was fully intending on using those skills in her current mission.

She pulled the van up a few blocks away from her intended target and pulled the camera out of the back of the van, making sure the battery was charged and the memory was clear. With only a little concern for her own safety, and even less for that of the van, she began to make her way on foot towards her target, constantly checking her surroundings for anything that could pose a threat or a piece of evidence. After a few minutes she rounded a corner and smirked triumphantly. Sitting on top of the building directly in front of her was the rather shoddily constructed fake observatory, marking out what she assumed was Megamind's secret hideout like a flag framed with flashing neon lights. She smirked as she trotted cautiously across the road, trying to spot any form of security devices that may warn the super-villain to her presence. After reaching the other side of the road she turned her back towards the wall in order to brace herself against it, using it as a shield so that she only had to keep a look out on one side. She bit back a yelp of surprise when, instead of her back hitting the solid brick wall, she fell straight through it, landing flat on her back with the camera clutched to her chest.

The fall had winded her and she had banged her head heavily on the floor leaving her a little dizzy and in no small amount of pain. With a quiet groan she rolled on to her front and crawled over to a corner where she could hide while she caught her breath. She turned back to the wall where she had fallen and was surprised to be able to see uninhibited out onto the street outside. The holographic wall must have been something like a one way window, whoever was inside could see out perfectly but people on the outside would only see a brick wall. She was grudgingly impressed by the set up but wondered how anyone could be so stupid as to leave what was effectively their doorway open like that. She had found it simply by accident, who was to say that no one else was going to do the same? After catching her breath she turned on the camera and turned the lens towards herself.

"I have just discovered the secret entrance to what I believe to be Megamind's evil lair," She turned the camera around and braced it on her shoulder as she stood up, looking around the empty corridor cautiously. Directly in front of her was a sliding metal door which was obviously the entrance to a garage of some sorts, the door was more than large enough to allow a car to drive through and she assumed that that was the main route of entry and exit for Megamind's larger inventions. To the side of this was a smaller door, obviously intended for foot traffic. "I'm now making my way deeper into the building, at this point I have no idea where Megamind or his Minion are."

She turned the doorknob slowly, wincing as it squeaked in protest. The door swung open easily and she crept through, instantly darting across the corridor into the shadows in order to conceal her presence. The corridor was open on the other end and she could see the beginnings of what could be a very large storage area. The feint sounds of music echoed down the corridor, telling her in no uncertain terms that the lair was indeed currently occupied. She tilted the camera's viewfinder to the side and used it as a periscope of sorts by looking into the viewfinder while edging the camera around the corner at the end of the corridor. When she could see no obvious threats she stepped out slowly, careful to stay in the shadows. The music was getting louder but she still could not tell where it was coming from. Edging along the wall, she back pressed up against it, she videoed the cavernous room in silence, not daring to voice even the quietest of narrations. She zoomed the camera in on the various inventions that littered the room, ranging from a giant robot with a large glass dome on its shoulders to a car that looked like it had once been a Hudson but had been modified with fins and spikes. Roxanne rolled her eyes to herself at the visual cliché, reminding herself that this was Megamind's handiwork and his sense of style left much to be desired.

Movement caught her eyes and she dove for cover in a corner, squeezing herself into a ball, praying that she remained unnoticed. As she peeked out from behind the camera she saw a pack of three brainbots zip across the room carrying bits of what looked to be office equipment and stationary over to an area hidden behind a large red curtain.

Roxanne was hardly breathing as she stripped off her shoes and padded silently across the open space of the warehouse towards the red curtain. As she got closer she was able to hear voices over the noise of the music which seemed to both strip away her last nerve and build her confidence at the same time. She could make out the voices of both Minion and Megamind and by the tone of their voice she still remained undetected. She edged closer, taking refuge behind various bits of machinery in an attempt to remain hidden from the view of the brainbots. The creatures were everywhere, yet Roxanne was used the having to keep an eye of things approaching from every direction, including things from above.

"If we can somehow relay the power generated by the death ray," Megamind's voice sounded excited as he was apparently brainstorming a new idea with Minion, "then it's accuracy and reaction time would be _greatly_ improved."

"I'm sure it would Sir, but I'm guessing that making some form of hand-held weapon capable of controlling _and_ concentrating that kind of power would be difficult." Minion's voice was so much softer and calmer than Roxanne had ever heard before. She guessed it was the tone of voice he used when he knew he was alone with his boss. With a slight smile she corrected herself, those two were not simply servant and master, they were best friends, together till the bitter end. She couldn't even imagine one without the other.

"We _could_ convert the dehydration gun on the spider bot." Megamind said as Roxanne finally reached the edge of the curtain and slipped behind it so that her back was against the wall and the curtain covered her front, she moved carefully sideways so as to not disturb the tall curtain until she reached the edge of the wall and could see the two aliens standing at a sloped table,"It would be able to handle the concentrated power, the only thing we need to work on is the method of power transfer. How do we get the solar generated power from the orbital death ray to the spider bot?"

Carefully, Roxanne shifted the camera in an attempt to focus it on the pair standing at the table. She had no idea if the built in microphone was picking up their conversation or not but she was going to try anyway. She held her breath as the curtain fluttered slightly with her movement, praying that no one noticed. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she could feel herself starting to tremble with the amount of adrenalin flooding her system. If someone so much as sneezed she would end up bolting, it was taking an amazing amount of effort just to keep her feet rooted to the spot.

The music they were playing had kicked up a notch and she was having trouble making out what they were saying. She was still a fair distance away from them but there was precious little cover anywhere between her current hiding place and the table at which they were working. Knowing she was taking a massive risk, Roxanne edged further along the wall until she came to the corner. She slowly leaned forwards to look around the edge of the wall to try and find somewhere she could sneak over to in order to get just a little bit closer to the two aliens. As she looked to the side, finally forcing herself to look away from the pair, she came face to face with the single glowing red eye of a rather surprised brainbot. It physically jumped and 'bowged' loudly before zipping away while letting off an 'intruder' alarm. Roxanne squeaked and bolted back the way she came, managing to get tangled in the curtain in the process. She managed to fight her way free but she lost her grip on the camera and couldn't see where it had fallen.

Giving it up as a lost cause she ran for the door only to find it blocked by a pack of brainbots, their plasma domes glowing an ominous red. Looking around frantically she spotted a door off to her right that had an emergency exit sign above the frame. With a relieved gasp she ran for the door, practically ripping it off its hinges as she flung herself through.

For the first time in a very long time, Roxanne screamed a full throated scream of terror. The room she had thrown herself into had a short hallway of about 4 feet before the floor disappeared into a deep pit lined with silver tiles and filled with the cheesiest disco music she had ever heard. Megamind's pet alligators were instantly jumping up at her, snapping at the air just a few feet below her as she leaned precariously over the edge, flailing her arms in the air in an effort to stop herself from falling to her death. She screamed again as she felt herself tip further forwards, her feet slipping away from the edge of the ledge.

He had jumped a mile when one of the brainbots had activated the intruder alert from just a few feet behind him. His heart rate had practically tripled as it came slamming into the desk he was working at a split second later, but it almost stopped completely when he heard a squeak of surprise and fear come from behind him. He span on his heel just in time to see a figure push its way, with some difficulty, through the curtain. It took a moment longer for him to come to his senses before he yelled a command at the brainbots to seal the exit as he leapt into a full speed run in the direction the intruder headed. As he rounded a corner he caught sight of a woman as she threw herself through the doorway that lead to his alligator holding pit. His blood ran cold as he realised he recognised the intruder. His heart pounded in his ears as he skidded to the door, only just managing to keep his footing as he yanked the door open just in time to see her tip forwards over the edge of the pit.

"_Roxanne_!" He yelled, his voice filled with panic as he lunged forwards, his long fingers thankfully grasping one arm as it flailed behind her. All in one split second he tightly griped her arm, skidded to a halt at the edge of the pit, braced himself against the wall and hauled her back towards him. She let out a strangled cry as he pulled her back from the pit and span with her back through the door, slamming it shut behind him. His mind worked quickly, pushing down the blind panic he had felt when he realised it was her and that she was about to fall to his alligators. With an angry growl he pushed her back up against the wall and held both her wrists up above her head with one hand.

Roxanne was trembling like she never had before, tears flooded down her face and her breath came in gasps that hitched in her throat. Her eyes were tightly shut as if she thought that if she opened them then she would find herself surrounded by hungry alligators. Her mind refused to focus and she felt like she was shutting down, she could feel him holding her hands above her head and she was vaguely aware of the feel of his body pressing her against the wall. She knew that if he let go of her she would collapse in a heap onto the floor, her legs were trembling violently as was the rest of her body. When she realised he wasn't saying anything she opened her eyes and nearly feinted completely. His face was inches away from hers, their noses almost touching as he glared deep into her eyes. He looked angry, angrier than she had ever seen him before.

"Meg-" her voice shook in her throat but she didn't get a chance to say much before he cut her off.

"What the hell were you _thinking_?" He hissed angrily at her as he took in a deep steadying breath, "What were you _doing_, sneaking around in here like that? You could have been _killed_! Do you even realise how _dangerous_ that was?"

She blinked at him, not knowing what to say. She realised with yet another shock that her fear was fading quickly. She felt relieved and safe as he trapped her against the wall with his own body, he was a lot warmer than she realised and her mind flashed back to just the other night when she had fallen against him. She took in a few deep yet shuddering breaths as she relaxed from her panicked state, her trembling reducing to a thick fuzzy feeling that engulfed her whole body.

"Megamind, I-" She began, trying to thank him, apologise and explain all at the same time. She closed her eyes again as the fuzzy feeling spread to her head and she felt the world slip away.

For the second time in less than a week she suddenly slumped against his chest, her body going limp as she passed out. Megamind immediately let go of her wrists as he caught her against him, her arms falling lifelessly to her sides. His anger melted away into concern as he held her lifeless form in his arms.

"Sir? Wait,_ Miss Ritchie_?" Minion said as he slowly approached the pair. His gorilla suit was painfully slow in an emergency and he had been plagued every step of the way by the panicking brainbots as they span around the lair wildly in search of the mystery intruder. He had not expected the intruder to be Roxanne Ritchie but he found that he was not as surprised as he would have thought.

"Yes Minion." Megamind said quietly as he pulled her away from the wall before bending to hook one arm under her legs to scoop her up into his arms, "Minion, clear the sofa."

"Yes Sir!" He said as he hurried across the lair to the leather sofa that was sat in front of a full sized cinema screen in one corner of the lair. Megamind had built it shortly after forming the lair, envious of all of the 'normal' people in the city who got to enjoy movies on the big screen whenever they wanted. The sofa had been Minions idea, an attempt to create a little more of a homely feel to their permanent lair. He had it designed and built specifically with soft black leather and blue stitching and detail on the curved arm rests.

With a concerned frown Megamind gently placed Roxanne's unconscious form on the sofa with a great deal of care. He found himself brushing a stray strand of her hair behind her ear tenderly as he gazed down at her pale face. She was still trembling and her skin had gone a ghostly white colour, her forehead shining from a cold sweat breaking out as a result of the shock.

"Sir?" Minion's voice came softly from over his shoulder yet it still made the blue man jump slightly, "What happened Sir? What is she doing here?"

"I don't know, Minion," Megamind said quietly as he crouched next to the sofa and held two fingers against the pulse in her neck. He sighed in relief as he felt it beating strongly, if a little bit to quickly. "She ran into the alligator room, she very nearly fell in, Minion. She could have been killed!" He absent-mindedly trailed his hand down her arm when he was satisfied that her heart rate was returning to normal.

"Thank goodness you got to her in time Sir!" Minion sighed in relief, trying to hide his worry over the way his boss was acting around their regular captive. He had never acted this way around her before, not even when she was still unconscious from the knock-out spray. He had known for a while that Megamind was developing feelings towards the feisty reporter but he had no idea that things had progressed this far. In fact, on the day when they had attempted to use the Death Ray to defeat Metroman, he had been left speechless by his boss's open flirting with the woman. Minion didn't know what to think about the caring way that Megamind was now looking over Roxanne with. On one side he was thrilled, knowing that for most of his life the only affection he had ever received had been from Minion himself, yet on the other side he was worried that his friend was building his hopes up for nothing, that Roxanne would not be interested in any way and would leave Megamind heartbroken and alone again. He watched as a blue hand lay against the woman's pale forehead, testing its temperature.

"Minion, would you bring a bowl of water and a cloth please? And a glass of water for when she wakes up." Megamind said quietly as he gazed at her face, trying to make sense of his own thoughts.

"Right away Sir!" The fish replied as he hurried away to the kitchen, glad of having an order to follow.

"Oh Roxanne," Megamind whispered as he stroked her cheek gently, his expression one of sadness, "if only you knew what you are doing to me."

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><p><em>AN: We all know that Roxane was planning on doing a litle snooping with or without 'Bernard' in the movie. I know Roxanne is a strong character, and I have no intention of turning her into some kind of weakling woman, but hey, if you thought you were about to fall into a pit of alligators I think you would go a little fuzzy. Plus it's an excuse for a bit of additional bodily contact_ and some touchy-feely stuff. ^_^

_With regards to the chapter length, this is how i have written most of the story. The first two chapters were written as four but i wanted those out of the way. It would be nice to hear what you think of the chapter lengths and which you think works better. super long or long-ish? So far, no chapter ive written has been under 4 pages long._

_Remember, reviews make the world go round. ^_^_


	5. The sky at night

_Thank you once again for all the reviews! I've never had so many so quickly. And for all of you that are reading but not reviewing, I would really love to know what you think of t. I have a lot of this story already written and I'm editing as I upload so feedback will always be taken into consideration. _

_Now for the fun stuff. There is quite a bit of OOC here but hey, it's an AU so...meh. IT isnt too wildly out so, fingers crossed you guys like it. _

_I had to get this one out today. I get the bus home from work and there is a new poster on the bus shelter I spend 20 minutes at each day. Gues which Blue bad boy is plastered all over it! lol. I had a dopey grn on my face the entire time! ^_^_ _now in tribute of the bus stop, on with the show!_

_Oh, and this is a LONG one! ^_^  
><em>

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><p>She had been unconscious for over an hour before her skin had started to return to it's normal healthy colour. Minion had produced a soft blanket to drape over her, having read somewhere that it was best to keep a shock victim warm to prevent them from getting any worse. Megamind had been gently washing the sweat from her brow with the damp cloth as she lay there, occasionally moaning something but not showing any signs of waking.<p>

At some point Megamind had drifted off to sleep in the chair he had pulled up next to the sofa. His arms were crossed over his chest and his face was tipped forwards as he breathed deeply in a peaceful sleep. This was how Roxanne found him when she opened her eyes.

Frowning in confusion at first, she tried to force her eyes to focus. Her head was buzzing painfully and the bright lights above her stung her eyes. Once she was able to focus she took in the sight of Megamind snoring softly as he slept in a chair next to her. She shifted on the sofa, moaning slightly as the pain in her head protested and pulled herself up into more of a sitting position.

"You saved my life." She said quietly as he opened his eyes and smiled at her. He leaned forward slightly and placed two fingers over her pulse, closing his eyes as he counted. She twitched slightly at his touch but didn't flinch away, instead strangely enjoying the feeling of his fingers on her neck.

"Good, your pulse has returned to normal, your colour is looking better as well." He visibly relaxed as he sat back in the chair, handing her the glass of water from the coffee table besides him, "how are you feeling?"

"Tired," She replied after a moment, sighing as she took a big drink of the refreshingly cold water, "what happened? I remember you saving me from the alligators but after that..."

"You feinted, from the shock I'd imagine." His expression turned serious as he braced his hands on his knees, leaning towards her again, "what did you think you were doing? How did you find my lair?"

"I'm sorry, I..." She looked away from him as she tried to find an answer, for some reason her motivations behind her invasion of his home escaped her, "I was doing a broadcast from the old observatory yesterday and I... I spotted the fake observatory on the roof." They both glanced up to the ceiling, as if they were looking at the out-of-place construction now, "so I.. I wanted to investigate. I drove out here and... I really didn't expect you to be here, but when that brainbot saw me and set off the alarm, I just ran. I saw that door had an exit sign above it and..." Roxanne trailed off and noticed Megamind wince when she mentioned the sign above the door. He had been meaning to take it down ever since converting the emergency escape route into the alligator's disco room.

"But _why_ were you snooping round in here? You could have been _killed_!" It came out angrier than he meant it to, his emotions getting the better of him. He hoped that she couldn't see how much seeing her in that sort of danger had affected him.

"Heh," Roxanne chuckled as she swept a strand of hair behind her ear, she was looking down at the floor so didn't see Megamind's eyes following every move intently, "_nosey reporter_, remember?" She said, blushing slightly as she used what she assumed was his form of a 'pet-name' for her. When she looked up she thought she caught a feint blush clearing off the tips of his ears.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been sneaking around like that, it was dangerous and stupid." She wasn't sure why she felt the need to apologise, maybe it was because of the homely feeling to the section of the lair they were in now. She had never been in this section of the lair before, she wasn't even sure if she had ever been taken to his permanent lair at all before. The sofa and the cinema screen combined with the coffee table and the small kitchen she could see off to one side gave everything the feeling of a true home. With a sinking feeling she realised that that was exactly what it was. She had broken into Megamind's home!

"I'd say it was more reckless than stupid." Megamind said quietly, his eyes lost in his own thought processes. She had seen that look before, he wasn't concentrating on the situation in front of him but instead was thinking something through. In that state she had found he was very easily influenced and often gave up more information than he intended to under loose interrogation.

"Why haven't you tied me up?" She asked softly, honestly confused by the lack of restraints and the almost casual feel of the situation.

"It never even crossed my mind, I just wanted to make sure you were OK." He answered in a monotone voice that told her in no uncertain terms that he was answering honestly and on autopilot. He blinked once, his eyes focusing on her again and he blushed a deep violet colour when he saw the smirk Roxanne was sporting. "I mean...errm... that it would have been difficult to explain what had happened if anything were to have happened to you. Your _boyfriend-in-tights_ would never have believed that _you_ were the one to invade _my_ sanctuary and get yourself killed in doing so!"

Roxanne smiled and decided to cut him some slack and not pester him too much more on the subject. She knew full well that she now owed him her life and she just hoped that he didn't come to realise that too soon, she shuddered to think what he could have in store for her if he knew that she did, in fact, owe him.

"Thank you." She said, giving him a genuine smile and a silent promise to let the subject matter drop, "So, what happens now?" She asked tentatively as she let the smile drop from her face. She was well aware of the fact that she had been caught red handed sneaking around in the evil lair. She had taken a risk and had been caught out and now had to face the consequences. She took in a deep breath and steadied her nerves, she was a big girl and would take whatever punishment he had in store with her head held high.

"Now?" Megamind asked, frowning at her rather unexpected question, "now, Miss Ritchie, I am going to take you home."

"What?" She blinked at him in surprise having fully expected some form of major punishment involving a lot of discomfort and threatening machines. She had even been expecting him to suggest some form of abject humiliation that he could inflict on her live on air, but she had definitely not expected to be offered a lift home.

"I said, I'm going to take you home. You have obviously been through a lot and you still look quite pale." His face was serious as he stood from the chair and moved it out of the way, "would you prefer the car so I can drop you at the door to your building or the hoverbike, so I can take you straight to your balcony?" He held out a hand to help her up from the sofa. She pushed the blanket to the side, stroking it's soft surface as she thought over the odd question.

"Hoverbike?" She asked once she realised that she didn't understand what he meant. She reached out and placed her hand in his and pulled herself up from the sofa with his help. She had been about to say she could stand on her own but she was glad she had taken his hand when a wave of dizziness hit her and she swayed alarmingly. He steadied her with an arm around her back and stood in silence looking down at her until he was sure she could stand on her own. He pulled his hands away from her slowly, one hand lingering a little too long on her waist. He smiled as she looked up at him with a feint blush on her too pale skin.

"My own invention, _obviously_." He grinned as she raised an eyebrow at him, telling him she knew he was bragging and was probably about to over exaggerate something, "it's one of my best actually, quite literally a flying motorbike. It is perfectly safe, just like all of my other inventions, but if you would prefer the familiarity of the car then..." He trailed off with a smirk, noticing the spark of excitement beginning to shine in her eyes.

"No!" She said, far louder than she had meant to, "no, I errm... the hoverbike sounds fine." She couldn't help the grin that spread on her face as one part of her mind screamed that this was a really bad idea.

"Does it indeed?" His smirk spread into a grin and he had to resist the urge to reach over to her and tuck a wayward strand of hair back in place, "then what are we waiting for?"

"Oh, Miss Ritchie!" Minion's voice startled the two so much that they practically leapt away from each other, "Oh I am _so_ glad you are OK!" Minion rushed forwards and grabbed the woman up into a strong hug that resulted in Roxanne dissolving into a fit of giggles.

"OK _OK_, Minion! You can put me down now!" Roxanne squealed as the fish swayed her from side to side. She had always had a soft spot for Minion, he had such a sweet nature and she was always surprised that he went along with Megamind's plans so easily.

"I was so worried! You looked so ill and when Sir told me you had nearly fallen into the _alligator pit_ … well, I don't know what we would have done if anything were to happen to you!" Minion sniffed inside his bowl as if he were trying to ward off tears and Roxanne realised just how upset he actually looked.

"It's OK Minion, I'm fine. Thanks to you two." She smiles sweetly at the fish causing his to blush. His eyes darted to something over her shoulder and he quickly turned away, muttering something about having important work to get back to. She looked over her shoulder to see what had spooked him and found Megamind standing very close behind her. So close in fact that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. She looked up at him, not turning around to face him. He tentatively placed on hand on her hip and she could have sworn that she felt his thumb gently stroking her.

"Are you OK?" He whispered. A small smile spread on his face when he noticed her shiver when his breath fanned against the back of her neck. The hand on her hip tightened slightly and he had to resist the urge to pull her back against him, to feel her body pressed up against his again. He closed his eyes as he took a steadying breath, his nose brushing the hair on the back of her head. She closed her eyes as a shudder shot up her spine and cursed herself for reacting this way to someone the world told her she should be afraid of.

"I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" She said, her voice refusing to reach above the same whisper that he had used. She found herself wanting to lean backwards against his chest that she knew was only scant inches away from her back.

"When Minion picked you up," He said tenderly as he continued to gently stoke her hip with one hand, he had the other clenched firmly at his side, his fingernails digging into his skin, "I was concerned it may have been too much for your system."

"You are concerned about my welfare?" She chuckled as she turned around to face him, the hand that was against her hip kept contact with her waist as she turned. She came to a stop looking strait up into his eyes, almost touching him yet feeling so far away at the same time. The smile had slipped from his face leaving a serious expression on his face.

"Of course," he said quietly, raising one eyebrow up at her as if to say that she should already know the answer, "can't have my favourite captive getting herself hurt now can I? What would people think of me?"

"I'm your only captive." She reminded him with a smirk as she placed one hand on his bicep. She looked at the contrast between her pale skin and the black leather suit he habitually wore.

"Indeed." He said, the smirk returning to his face, "It would be far too much trouble to have to find another one to meet my requirements." She was about to respond when the hand on her hip moved fluidly to her lower back. With a gently pressure he pulled her forwards but instead of pulling her against him, he turned and guided her towards another section of the lair. It was a surprisingly long walk and his hand remained on her back the entire time until he came to a stop besides something that looked for all the world like the jet engine from a small plane. She looked up at him and guessed from the fierce smirk on his face that this was the hoverbike he was so proud of.

"_Wow_." She breathed as she looked at it, noting the intricate details that adorned it's metallic black surface. It was obvious he had spent a long time considering it's aesthetic design and not just it's functionality.

"Wait until you see her _fly_." He breathed into her ear, causing her to shiver once again. Excitement bubbled up inside of her and she forced herself to believe that it was simply the anticipation of travelling on a flying motorbike.

Megamind's hand suddenly disappeared from her back as he moved away from her to throw his leg over the bike, shifting until he found a comfortable position. With a mischievous grin he held his hand out to her and she took it without hesitation. Instead of pulling her onto the bike behind him he had her sit sideways in front of him so that her body could twist in order for her to wrap her arms around his torso. He reached around her on both sides, making sure he had a firm grip on the handlebars and switched the bike's engine on with a roar of power.

"You might want to hold on to me." He said innocently as he revved the engine until it was purring away rhythmically between his legs. She shifted herself against him more securely and warped one arm behind his back as she rested her head against his shoulder so he could see where they would be going. His upper arm was pressed up against her shoulder blades, giving her an added sense of security. Her legs rubbed up against his as he kicked the bike into gear, the purring engine hitching as it sped up and the whole contraption lifted into the air, hovering steadily in place a few feet off the ground.

"Oh, wait! What about the news van? I left it parked around the corner!" She shouted over the noise of the engine as she suddenly remembered the fact that she had in fact driven herself to the lair on her ill fated mission.

"Don't worry, I have already had the brainbots lift it back to your office. They located it when you were passed out." He shrugged as if it had been the obvious course of action.

"You always intended to drive me home yourself didn't you?" She asked, curious about the nature of his intentions.

"It was obvious you would be in no fit state to drive yourself. Minion would have been in pieces if you had driven home and had an accident on the way."

"I see, well, thank you, and thank Minion too." She smiled as she settled herself against him once again.

"Are your ready? I tend not to do things slowly you know." He quirked that one eyebrow up at her again as he looked down at her. She smiled and nodded and was about to say something when he flexed his wrist and the bike surged forwards and upwards, flying through an open hatch in the roof with enough speed to tear a shriek from Roxanne's throat. She clung to him desperately, pressing herself up against him as firmly as she could. She could feel, more than hear, him laughing, the sound vibrating in his chest against her as he flexed his arm against her back, reminding her that she was in fact safe.

Once they had reached a high enough elevation that he was sure no one would be able to see them, he slowed the bikes forward momentum, allowing it to drift through the air at a steady pace. He flicked a switch, turning the autopilot on, and let go of the handle bars as he sat a little straighter on the bike. His movement caused Roxanne to grip him tighter as she buried her face into his neck. She had never normally been afraid of flying or of heights but then when she had flown before she was always safe in the knowledge that it would be very difficult to fall out of a plane unintentionally. Now, she could feel the cold winds rushing past her skin and knew that if she opened her eyes she would see nothing but empty air around them.

Megamind wrapped his arms around her as he griped the bike with his thighs, the saddle being wide enough to allow him to sit comfortably without too much effort to remain steady. One hand snaked around her waist, securing her body against his and the other reached up to tangle in her hair at the back of her head in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture. He felt her shudder against him and could feel her jaw clenching as she pressed her face into his neck.

"Roxanne." He said just loud enough for her to hear, his lips brushing against her ear, "Roxanne, open your eyes." She shook her head violently 'no' and gripped on to his body even harder. He tilted his head back for a moment and took a deep breath, willing his mind to keep control of his body. Tilting his head back down he again spoke into her ear, resisting the urge to place a kiss against it. He was fairly sure that she could feel the same chemistry that he could but until she actually confirmed his suspicions he could not act on them. He may be a villain but he was still a gentleman.

"It's OK, I've got you. Open your eyes." When she didn't react after a few moments he nuzzled his nose slightly into her hair, "Trust me."

Roxanne's trembling stilled at his words and she realised that in some sick, twisted way, she did trust him. Probably more than anyone else in her life. Probably even more than she trusted Wayne. She took a shuddering breath before forcing herself to open her eyes. She felt him shudder as her eyelashes brushed against his neck and her gaze focused on flawless blue skin.

"I've got you." He said again in a whisper. She realised that the wind had died down to a gentle breeze despite the height at which they must have been flying. Slowly she pulled her face away from his neck but kept her gaze firmly locked on his blue skin. She slowly looked up, her eyes passing over his jaw and his smiling lips to his sharp nose until she was looking him in the eyes.

"_Good girl_." He said quietly as he stroked her back reassuringly, "that wasn't too difficult now, was it?"

Normally she would have been offended by his tone, she would have taken it to be mocking and condescending but instead she smiled and nodded in agreement. He broke eye contact first and turned to look off to his right. The loss of contact made her tighten her grip on him again and she felt him tighten his grip on her in return He looked back to her briefly before nodding his head in the direction he was looked. After taking a steadying breath she turned her face and gasped at the sight in front of her.

They were hovering far above the level of the top of Metro Tower, up above the lake that bordered the city on one side. The sun was setting behind them, bathing the city in a warm orange glow. The street lights were just starting to come on and the fading sunlight was reflecting off the windows of some of the buildings in various shades of gold. A flock of birds took off from one of the parks dotted around the city and flew between the buildings before finding a suitable rooftop to land on.

"Oh my..." She said breathlessly as she looked out on the sight in front of her. She unconsciously loosened her grip on Megamind's body as she turned to look around her out to the mountains beyond the city to the north. He turned back to look at her, grinning at the look of awe on her face as she forgot her fears and shifted herself on the bike to get a better look around her. He made sure to keep a good grip on her waist and noticed a pack of brainbots just visible on one of the rooftops at the edge of the city. He had a few places where he kept a pack of his faithful inventions in case of emergencies. All he needed to do was shout a command word and they would appear around him, ready to catch him if he were falling from a great height, for example. Roxanne had begun to laugh softly, the emotions of the situation building up inside her until they spilled out.

"This is _amazing_!" She said as she looked around her in awe. After a few moments she turned back to him and briefly glanced down at the bike underneath them, "_this_ is amazing!" She said softly as she smiled up at him. She realised that she had been doing that a lot recently, she was becoming increasingly aware that the man in front of her was much more than he made himself out to be and she was growing more and more fascinated by him every day. After a few moments she realised that the sun had dipped behind the horizon, casting the sky around them in a stunning range of blues and blacks.

"Time to be heading down, we don't want anyone to see us now do we?" He said softly as he looked into her eyes. He saw disappointment flash in their blue depths before she smiled and nodded once before pulling herself back up against his chest and actually snuggled her head into his shoulder with a sigh. With one last squeeze of reassurance he let go of his hold on her and reached forwards again to grip the handlebars and take control of the drifting bike once again.

This time she kept her eyes open as they flew quickly through the air, descending first to the surface of the lake, the back-draft from the bike causing the water to splash up in their wake, before they lifted up once again to fly up above the level of most of the buildings in the city, hidden against that dark backdrop of the night sky.

The hoverbike purred to a stop underneath her as they came to a rest on the balcony of her up-market apartment. Silently they both dismounted, Megamind searching the windows of the surrounding buildings for signs of anyone who may be watching them. Satisfied hat they remained undetected he followed her into her balcony, noting carefully how her balcony windows were left unlocked. She must have noticed him looking at the windows for longer than normal so she turned and offered him an explanation.

"I always leave them unlocked. Never really saw the point to locking them. There are only two people I know who would be able to get in through that window and one of them is the city's hero." She said with a distant smile as if the explanation should be obvious. He waited for a moment for her to continue but she had apparently said all she thought she needed to say on the matter.

"And the other?" He asked with a raised eyebrow as he leaned back against the window with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Oh, it has been a long time since I have been afraid of _him_." She smiled as she looked at anything except the man standing in her window. The look on his face was one she had seen many times in the movies she had gone to see with her friends, where the girls would all squeal in delight over the way the hero approached the girl of his dreams with his intentions clearly displayed in every movement he made. The villain standing in her lounge looked every bit the dangerous bad-boy that her mother had warned her about avoiding before she moved away to college all those years ago. Her thoughts flashed over to Metroman and her mothers happy declaration of approval of the hero's relationship with her only daughter. Roxanne had wished on many occasions that she could simply fall in love the the muscle-bound Wayne Scott, that was definitely a very good family to marry into, but she could never bring herself to look at him that way. The fact remained that good boys were never really her type.

"Really?" Megamind's low voice snapped her thoughts back to the situation in front of her and she realised with more than a little shock that she had, in fact, willingly invited the super-villain into her home.

"Uh-huh." she nodded as she leant against the breakfast bar that separated the open plan kitchen from the lounge area, "I worked out a long time ago that he would never intentionally hurt me."

"You trust him?" He said with a smile as he pushed away from the window, he began to move very slowly towards her, the searching expression in his eyes never faltering.

"Yes, I think I do." Roxanne said with a sigh, wondering to herself exactly when that had happened, "I'm not sure if he trusts me though."

"Oh I think he does." Megamind said softly as he came to a stop in front of her, "I'm just not sure exactly how much."

"Meaning?" She quirked an eyebrow up as she looked up into his eyes. He was standing right in front of her and the extra height he had over her seemed to be even greater in her small apartment.

"You said you owe me your life." He stated with a serious look on his face. He looked deeply into her eyes looking for any sign of deceit on her part, "I need to call that in now."

"My life?"

"A favour." He said as he shook his head, "the evil lair is mine and Minion's home. It is where we live, the only place we have that is safe. And now you know where it is. I want you to _promise_ me you wont tell anyone, not even that boyfriend of yours."

"I..." She hesitated slightly at the look in his eyes, he was afraid that she would say no and she could see that he was afraid of what he would have to do to protect himself if that were to happen. She smiled assuringly up at him just as he had when they were hovering hundreds of feet up in the air just a few minutes before. "I give you my word."

He closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief when she agreed to keep the location of his home a secret. He saw in her eyes that she meant it and as soon as she had said the words he believed her. He banished the thought of what he would have to do if she had said no to the very darkest part of his mind. He really didn't want to have to do that to her but he had to protect himself and Minion, their lives would be truly turned upside down if Roxanne told the world where they lived. In that situation getting hauled back to prison would be the least of their worries.

"Thank you." He said quietly, the silence of the room surrounding them both. Roxanne glanced at the clock on the wall, 12AM, a lot later than she had thought it was. She realised that they must have spent a lot longer flying around over the lake than she had first thought.

"Thank you," She said after a while, breaking the strange yet comfortable silence that has settled over them, "for the ride. On the hoverbike, I mean."

"You're welcome." He said simply as he smiled down at her. The smile dropped off his face a few moments after as he took a deep breath before speaking again, "Miss Ritchie-"

"Roxanne," She said, quickly interrupting him, "you can call me Roxanne you know, I won't get mad."

"_Roxanne_," He chuckled slightly, a grin spreading on his face for a moment, "may I ask you something? You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"Go ahead." She could tell that whatever it was was something he had been thinking about for a long time. She stood patiently in front of him, waiting for him to build himself up enough to ask her what was turning out to be a rather difficult question.

"May I-" He hesitated as he closed his eyes, apparently unable to look at her while he asked the question, "may I kiss you?"

Whatever question she had been expecting it hadn't been that one. She resisted the urge to ask him to repeat it, knowing that it had been hard enough for him to ask her the first time, getting him to repeat it would probably send him bolting for the door. A torrent of feelings assaulted her all at the same time, including feelings that she had spent so long denying entirely. She took a shaky breath as she tried to organise her thoughts but before she could respond he spoke up again.

"I'm sorry, that was stupid of me." He said quickly as he took a step back from her, his words becoming rushed and panicked, "please just forget I ever said anything." With that he span on his heel and hurried towards the balcony door. As he reached out for the handle, Roxanne's hand coved his own, holding it still on the door handle. He turned to face her, a question forming on his lips when he felt her mouth cover his own.

She pressed her lips up against his quickly in a chaste kiss that lasted only for a moment. As she pulled back she stayed standing in front of him, her hand still on his as it detached slowly from the door handle. His heart was pounding in his head as he looked down at her and suddenly brought his head down to hers, claiming her mouth in a fierce kiss full of all of the repressed feelings of want and longing that they had both been hiding for years.

It was not the magical first kiss that she had squealed over so many times in the romance movies she enjoyed watching. It was raw and messy and uncoordinated as they both tried to get as much contact as possible with each other. His arms snaked around her back, pulling her firmly against his chest as her hands wound around his shoulders, one hand stroking the back of his neck and the base of his skull. He moaned into her mouth as he pushed harder against her, bending her back slightly as he supported her with one hand against her shoulder blades. He took advantage of her small gasp of surprise by deepening the kiss, licking gently past her lips, tasting her in a way that he had never expected he would be able to before. His mind was reeling from the sensation of having her in his arms in this way. He had carried her in his arms before and she had been clinging pretty closely to him during their ride on the hoverbike, but none of it compared to this.

With a gasp for air he pulled back, taking deep breaths in order to try and gain control of himself once again. He was getting carried away and he didn't think either of them were ready to go where they had been headed. As they stood there panting, neither of them wanted to let go until a persistent beeping noise sounded from his watch.

"Oh shit!" He cursed softly as he unwound his arms from her to bring his wristwatch up between them. He clicked a button on its side and a blue holographic map of the city appeared a few inches above the face of the watch. He noted with a small smirk the impressed look on her face as she took in one of his newest inventions. A green dot shone brightly in the middle of the display and it took a moment for Roxanne to recognise it as her apartment, meaning that the green dot must represent Megamind's location. A red dot was blinking insistently on one side of the display in an area of town Roxanne knew to be only a few miles away, as the crow flies, from her apartment, and it was heading their way.

"_Crap_." Megamind swore once again as he turned off the display and looked back up at Roxanne, "I have to go. One of the brainbots has detected Metroman's' presence in the city, I can't afford for him to find me yet. Especially not here."

"I guess that would be a bad thing." Roxanne said with a tinge of disappointment in her voice, as she ran her hands down his chest, trying to get her mind to work again. It had been a long time since she had been kissed by anyone and she was fairly sure that she had _never_ been kissed quite like _that_ before. Inside her, a war was going on. One side of her had come over all girly and gooey and wanted nothing more than to drape herself over this man in front of her and let him do anything he wanted to her. The other side of her was screaming like a crazed banshee about how incredibly and utterly wrong the whole situation was. Roxanne realised she didn't really know which side she wanted to listen to. Her train of thought was broken once again by the feel of his lips against hers in a much more gentle and luxurious kiss that clearly showed her that, were they to continue, she could expect all sorts of wonderful tenderness from him in addition to the pure adrenalin and fireworks she had felt from him moments before.

"You'd better go." She said as she pulled back from him, resting her forehead against his as her eyes remained closed, "I don't want him to find you here, he'd only get the wrong end of the stick and take you back to jail again."

"Never stopped me from anything before." He grinned at her before stepping back and releasing his grip on her. Silently he opened her balcony door and stepped through, not trusting himself to look back. He flung his leg over the bike and in roared to life before settling into a purr that reverberated within her chest.

"So, what happens now?" She asked as she followed him out, unknowingly mimicking her question from just a few hours before when she had thought he has actually going to kill her for sneaking into his lair. He smiled devilishly at her and she felt a smirk forming on her own face in reply. He kicked the bike into gear before checking Metroman's location on his watch again. He hadn't come any closer but he was still far too close for comfort, just about 3 miles away from their current location.

"Now Miss Ritchie," He said in his best super-villain voice when she stepped closer so she could hear him, "you don't expect me to reveal _all_ of my evil schemes now do you?"

With that he revved the engine of the bike and blasted quickly off into the sky. She followed him for as long as she could until his form was lost against the black of the night sky, only the occasional burst of blue flame from the bike's exhaust pipes gave away his location as he headed back out towards the lake.

Metroman brushed a piece of soot off of his shoulder as he stood, watching the building in font of him burn down. He had managed to pull everyone out of the building alive and the surrounding structures had also been evacuated safely. His job was now done, the rest could be easily handled by the city's fire department who were busy dousing the flames. After spending some time amongst the adoring crowd and graciously receiving the tanks of the family whose lives he had saved, the hero took his leave and blasted on up into the sky. He hovered in mid air for a few moments and closed his eyes, listening for any signs of trouble from anywhere within the city.

The sound of a strong engine roaring to life drew his attention. That really was too loud for this time of night. He was about to fly over and amuse himself for a few moments by explaining the finer points of noise pollution and disturbing the peace to the inconsiderate motorist when he saw a flash for something flying up into the sky. Using his super-vision he focused on the sky in that direction and sure enough, in the light given off by one of the city's sky scrapers, he saw it again. A reflection off some form of flying vehicle. His eyes narrowed when his keen and penetrating mind came to the only conclusion possible. _Megamind_.

His cape fluttering majestically in the wind, Metroman flew quickly in the direction he had seen his long-standing nemesis heading. After landing on the top of the building the blue alien had been flying around, the Hero searched the sky, trying to pick out the noise of the engine again. The wind whipped his cape around as it blew with renewed strength from the city and out over the lake.

"Where did you go, Megamind?" Metroman muttered to himself as he searched, not being able to pick out anything in the low light. Megamind's choice of clothing was always a hindrance to his super vision at night. Normally he could pick out a flea on a dogs back from two miles away... but picking out a flea on the back of a black dog while that stood in total darkness... now that was a little harder.

With a sigh, the hero gave up his attempt to locate the super-villain and instead turned his search onto what could have been the alien's intended target in this area of town. He looked around, not seeing anything out of the ordinary until he noticed a light on in the window of an apartment a few blocks down.

"Oh _no_!" Using his super speed, he flew the short distance from his spot on the top of the building to the balcony of the apartment in question. He yanked the door open with more force than he had intended, cracking the entire pane of glass from top to bottom. "_Roxanne_!" He yelled into the apartment as he stepped through the doorway, searching with his x-ray vision for anything out of the ordinary. Locating her in a room on the other side of the apartment in a slumped position, he tore through the apartment and yanked the door to the room she was in off the frame entirely. The scream that assaulted his ears was not something he had been expecting.

"Roxie, it's OK! It's me, you're safe now!" He said over the continued sound of her screaming. He knew the villain was no where in the immediate vicinity so why was she still screaming? He bent to pick her up from her crumpled position in front of him and gave her his most reassuring smile, "It's OK, I'm here now, there is no need to be so scared any more!"

With a considerable amount of effort on his part he managed to work past her flailing limbs and scooped her up against his chest. Suddenly she went deathly silent and very very still. As he smiled down into her eyes he realised that for the first time in all the years he had been rescuing her, she didn't seem happy to be rescued! Now that she was quiet he was able to focus properly on the situation in front of him and truly took in his surroundings.

"Oh." HE said as a blush spread up from his neck, "errm..._oh_."

"Yes, _oh_!" Roxanne said through clenched teeth as she glared at him while trying to cover herself the best she could.

As his mind finally caught up, Metroman became aware that his arms were soaking wet and covered in bubbles from the water that he had scooped her out of. She was doing her best to curl up into a ball while giving him the most deadly look he had ever seen in his life.

"...OH!" He yelled as he dropped her naked form on reflex. She landed with a loud splash and a surprised squeak followed by the sound of chocking and spluttering as she accidentally breathed in a little bit of the bathwater. Metroman span around, facing away from the naked woman as his blush spread to every pore of his skin. With a furious snarl Roxanne reached for her bath towel and quickly grabbed it around herself before standing up, not caring that one corner fell in the bath water and quickly became soaked through. She stood up with her hands clenched at her sides and glared at the hero's back.

"Get. The hell. _Out_!" She hissed slowly through gritted teeth, when he made no attempt to move she decided turning up the volume would be a good idea "GET OUT!"

After slipping on the wet floor and breaking the porcelain sink in the bathroom in the process, he dashed out of the room. She could hear him cursing in his insufferable PG-rated way as he crashed into some other unfortunate obstacle in her apartment. With her fury running higher than it had ever done before she marched out of her en-suite bathroom and slammed the door to her bedroom shut with such a force that it knocked a painting off of the wall. Resisting the urge to scream in anger, she tore through her dresser draws until she found a pair of pyjamas and yanked her dressing gown off the peg an the back of the now destroyed bathroom door. After getting dressed and tightly securing her dressing gown around her she took a deep breath before marching out of the room to confront the city's superhero. She knew he was still in there, she could hear him cursing to himself about one thing or another.

"What exactly did you think-" Her opening rant was cut off abruptly when she saw the crack in her balcony door, she pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers in an attempt to rein in her temper and ward off the headache that was brewing into a storm, "I don't believe this."

"Look, Roxie, I'm sorry, I thought-"

"You thought _what_, exactly?" She snapped at him, cutting his excuse off as she surveyed not only the broken window but also a antique vase that lay shattered on the carpet, "what could _possibly_ be your motivation for invading my privacy like that and destroying half of my apartment?"

"Look, just calm down OK Roxie?" He held up his hands to her in what he hoped was a calming manner but she only took it as another one of his patronising gestures, "I thought you were in trouble!"

"Trouble? What trouble could I possibly be in in my _bathroom_? Were you trying to rescue me from a hot water shortage or something?" Roxanne's glare stepped up a gear when Metroman chuckled at her accusation, "You think this is_ funny_? What in the world are you doing here Wayne?"

"I was across town when I saw Megamind loitering in this area, I came to have a look but he had disappeared again. That was when I noticed how close he had been to your apartment and I thought..." Metroman winced, not really wanting to finish off the statement.

"Thought_ what_?" Roxanne tapped her foot on the carpet as she folded her arms across her chest while she waited for his response. She covered up the rush of apprehension she felt when he said he had seen Megamind with a fresh wave of anger. Thankfully he didn't seem to notice.

"Well, when I couldn't see you in the lounge and yet the light had been left on I thought that something had happened." He rubbed the back of his neck with his hand as he looked anywhere except her angry face, "I used my x-ray vision to search the apartment quickly and saw you in there. You were slumped over, it looked like you had been hurt. I thought he had... you know."

"No, Wayne, I _don't_ know!" She hissed at him. She had a pretty good idea about what he was insinuating but she didn't want to believe that he could actually think something like that. "What terrible thing did you think he had done to me?"

"Well... I kind of thought that he had... you know... attacked you." He visibly winced as her expression darkened, he couldn't understand why she was so angry about him looking out for her welfare, "you know... as in '_attacked_'."

"Let me get this straight," she turned away from him and paced over to the balcony window, unconsciously standing in the exact same spot that Megamind had been in only about 20 minutes before, "you think that Megamind came here, broke into my apartment, _sexually assaulted_ me and then put me in my bathroom and just left?"

"Errm... well, you have to admit, there isn't really any other reason for him to be in this area now is there?" He said in his defence.

"Oh gee, I don't know, how about the bank down to road, or maybe the fact that I live on the main road into town?" She flung her arms out gesturing wildly around her, "But _come on_ Wayne! In all these years has he ever done anything like that to me? Do you honestly think he _would_?"

"Well I don't know what happens before I get there! He has had hold of you for hours sometimes before he calls me out! He is _evil_ Roxanne, who knows what he could have done to you and then wiped your memory."

"You are just as bad as everybody else!" She yelled, her voice rising in pitch, "You know what, I am so sick of having this conversation with you! We are just going round in circles, Wayne! I've said all of this a thousand times, including just the other night"

"Well what do you expect?" He frowned, slightly annoyed that she was defending the villain yet again, "he is evil Roxanne! Why do you always defend him! He has been kidnapping you for years!"

"Exactly! So I think I know him a little better than you! In all the years that he has been kidnapping me he has never _once_ laid a finger on me like that!" Roxanne found herself blushing, the memory of the kiss of her life flooding back into the front of her mind.

"He could be using some form of memory wipe on you! You have to admit it is something that he would invent!"

"Oh _please_! Do you honestly think that Megamind would invent something and then not tell anyone about it! Most of his inventions are intended to just _threaten_ people, mainly me! He hardly even uses half on the things that he makes! The only person he has ever tried to harm is _you_!" Roxanne wished that everyone else could see things the way that she did, that Megamind just was not the epitome of all that is evil that Metro City believed him to be.

"Roxanne, why do you have so much faith in him?" Metroman asked in a quiet voice, honestly confused about the whole situation.

"Oh just get out Wayne! I'm sick of this, I don't want to see your face any more!" Roxanne said, her voice suddenly becoming tired, "Just please leave! And I'll be sending you the bill for all of this, that's for sure!" With that she held the broken door open and waited for him to take the hint and leave.

With a sigh Metroman stepped through the door and turned to apologise for breaking her door and to try and get her to understand that he was only trying to help. With a bang the door slid shut and the lock clicked into place. Roxanne knew that it would never keep him out but hoped that the symbolism was poignant enough to get through his thick skull. She marched through her apartment and began clearing up, carefully gathering the pieced of the shattered vase that had been in her family for generations. A tear rolled down her cheek at the loss of the precious item and decided that she would try to put it back together on her next day off. Maybe she could find some restoration who could do a good job of it.

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><p><em>AN: And there you have it! Smochy time at last! Maybe we are getting somewhere eh? Unlike Wayne, he is stuck in one hefty rut! I hope the last scene wasnt too much of a repeat of their first argument, but was intentional. Reasons will come out soon, promise. Another point I'd like to make is about MEgamind's height. I know it is generally accepted by most of the fandom that Megamind is the same height as Roxane. In the movie it looks that way most of the time. But I have never been able to shake the feeling that he looks taller in his prison cell! In the "BOO!" sequence he looks really tall! I have a theory that I'm keeping to myself fo a while, but I just wanted to say there is a reason he is taller than our little Roxie in this fic. I mean, besides the fact that the getting bent over backwards thing really gives me goodebumps! ;)_

_Now that I have given you your fix, I'm going to crawl into a corne and sleep for a week. I have a stinking cold and being on the early shift at work (5 am starts blegh!) isnt heping my immune system._


	6. Reflections

_This one was hard to get out. I had to add this in to bridge a massive time gap between chapters 5 and 7. I'm not a fan of it really but trust me, the next one will be back to come action. so yeah, here goes._

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><p>The sun shone brightly down on the Metro City park, bringing everyone, it seemed, out of their usual routines to make the most of the exceptional weather. The park was full of children playing with footballs and frizbees, families having picnics on brightly coloured blankets and couples strolling hand in hand in their own little worlds. The birds sang in the trees and a slight breeze kept the day from becoming too warm whilst at the same time providing a beautiful soundtrack of rustling leaves. An ice cream truck was doing a roaring trade as the line stretched for quite some distance out onto the field.<p>

Roxanne sighed happily as she sat back against a tree at the top of the hill. The park was one her most favourite places in the world, one where she often came with her mother when she was little. At the time it had been very different, almost wild as the city was still growing and did not have the funds to maintain such a massive space. The Scott family had, some time later, purchased the park themselves and maintained it as a free public attraction, greatly improving the look and feel of the place. Donation boxes had been positioned at the entrance and exits so that, if people so wished, they could contribute to the upkeep of the park, thus leaving their own small mark on the city.

She watched from the shelter of the large pine tree, it's low branches providing her with her own little sanctuary amongst the crowd. The mat of pine needles beneath her provided a wonderfully spongy cushion against the roots of the tree and she played with a twig absently as she watched the world go by in front of her. If only the peace of her surroundings would convince her mind to slow down.

She had been unable to sleep after the events of the previous night. Two adrenalin filled events happening all in the space of a couple of hours proved to be a tax on her system in more ways than one. She had lay on her bed, the curtains left open at the window, allowing the light of the city and the stars to stream into her room. On her back, looking up at the ceiling, she had found herself going over the flight with Megamind on the hoverbike. The evening had been nothing short of magical and much more confusing than it should have been. After the dramatics of being confronted with death for all sorts of angles when she almost fell into the alligator pit, followed by the experience of feinting, which she never normally did and was very ashamed of, only to wake up with the blue super-villain keeping a bedside vigil.

The ride home was like nothing she had ever experience, the feeling of being encased in his arms, curled against his chest at first in fear of falling, and then in something all together different, was something she could hardly say was real. She had wrapped herself around him and rested her head against his shoulder as he had made the bike swoop and dive and climb and soar in ways that she had only ever seen in Disney movies before. He had been like nothing she had experienced before. Much more caring and gentlemanly than she had ever expected him to be before, and he seemed to enjoy it, just as much as she had. That was the thing that was getting to her. She could understand her own reaction to him, she could believe that all of these feelings were the result of all of the pent up aggression and sexual frustration she had been suffering from all these years and it had sent her hormones into overdrive. But for him to have changed so _dramatically_, it was confusing.

The way he had held onto her on the back of that bike, his arms strong and sheltering, making her feel like she was in the safest place in the world despite being one wrong move away from falling to her death. Then, later on, the way he had held onto her when he _kissed _her, like he never wanted to let her go. The kiss was something she had been dreaming about for years, one of her darkest secrets concerning the villain. When he had asked her permission to do it she had been dumbstruck, no one had ever _asked_ her that before. She had stayed silent, just staring at him for a long time as she processed his question. Every other man she had been with, including the lads she had danced with in the clubs while in her university years, had simply grabbed her and done it. They took what they wanted with little care for what she thought of it until she managed to get their attention and push them away or turn the experience in her favour.

When Megamind had asked, her brain had disconnected from her body and only came to when he had turned to leave, about to pull open her balcony door and make his escape. She had flung herself across the room and stopped him with a quick peck on the lips. She thought for a moment that that would have been all, he had stared at her in shock before roughly pulling her against him and kissing her senseless. Her cheeks heated up just from thinking about it. She had never been bent over backwards like that before and if she was being honest with herself, she cursed herself for not finding someone who could do that to her before now.

When his watch had started to beep she had been desperate to ignore it. She had been tempted to tell him so, to drag him further into her apartment and hide him and find out where exactly all of this was going. To hide him away and keep him to herself and sod the rest of the world and what it might think. But it had been like a bucket of cold water had been thrown over them. Somehow she had managed to pull away from the soft, gentle,tender kiss that had made her insides tingle and her toes curl. She had told him to go, her body screaming at her to take it back and pull him down to her again. She had watched him as he flew off into the night, disappearing against the inky black sky. Her body had been on fire so she ran a bath for herself complete with her favourite bath oils and scented candles. She had finally convinced her body to relax a little as she sank deeper into the warm water when a noise from outside the bathroom had caught her attention.

She had barely enough time for the realisation to sink in when _he_ had come bursting in, pulling the door clear from it's frame and scooping her from the bath water while loudly proclaiming his intent to rescue her. She had been furious, screaming at him for invading her privacy, the thought had crossed her mind to phone the police, but that in itself was laughable. He _was_ the police! She could imagine the person at the police call centre laughing at her for reporting _Metroman_ for breaking into her apartment. She had yelled at him horribly, snarling at him when all he had really done was blindly follow his instincts and attempt to save her from possible danger.

It had taken her a long time to wind down from that. She had spent the night lying awake, bouncing between the feelings of want and wonder over Megamind and his actions that night, through to frustration and anger at Wayne. All of this would then dissolve down to despair and confusion and the shameful realisation of exactly what she had been about do do and who she was about to do it with. Her subconscious had been particularly ruthless during the night, running over the same lustful and mortifying dreams that had been plaguing her for years, only now with the renewed vigour of having an actual event to gain some reference points from.

She shook her head and took a deep breath, trying to clear the thoughts from her head. A sudden gust of wind whisked the pine needles up off the floor and she sighed as a small smile found its way to her face.

"Well that was a little better than you last _dramatic entrance_." She said with a slight chuckle as she shifted sideways a bit to give him room to sit with her. She looked over at him as he grunted slightly, bending with some difficulty under the tree's low branches. Roxanne couldn't stand up fully under the tree, so Wayne was having a very difficult time of it indeed.

"Yes well, it's the lack of sliding glass doors you see, they are my weakness, or so it seems." He laughed, glad that she seemed to be at least in a more forgiving mood today, "I'm sorry, Roxie, I was _way_ out of line last night. I just didn't think, you know?"

"Yeah, _I know_." She sighed as she leaned back against the tree, she could feel bits of bark tugging at her hair but she didn't really care, "and that is part of the problem Wayne. If I do something without thinking, I feel embarrassed afterwards, I apologise, _whatever_. If _you_ do something without thinking, someone could get hurt. Seriously. I just... I just want you to _talk_ to me, Wayne. There is obviously something wrong and I can't help you with it unless you talk to me!"

"I'm sorry, I know I've been a bit... distracted recently. I'll be fine, I promise, it will all be OK." He said, obviously not wanting to divulge his secrets to her, "And I will pay for you door, both of them. And all that other stuff too that got broken. That vase looked expensive, I'm sure that my Mother would know where to find another one."

"No, it's OK." Roxanne said as she looked down at the floor, "I mean, yeah, _of course_ you are going to pay for the damage! The glass for the balcony door is _not_ cheap and there _is_ a lot of damage to the frame and the wall around the door to my bathroom."

"And the vase? Do you want me to ask Mother to try and find one?"

"Oh don't worry about that old thing, it was just something I inherited. I doubt that even your mother would be able to find another one." She said with some measure of bitterness in her voice, "Don't worry about it, it was my fault for having it out. But you really need to _think_ before you react, Wayne. You can't afford to loose your temper. Hell, the _city_ can't afford it! You need a break."

"Justice never rests, Roxanne." He said, superiority dripping from every pore in his body.

"Don't you get smart with me, this is serious Wayne." She said as she pointed a finger at him, "this is _serious_! Quite possibly the _most_ serious thing you will ever have to deal with in your life, it isn't a joke. If you don't want to tell me what is bothering you then fine, you don't have to. But you _do_ need to figure it out for yourself, Wayne, If you don't, well, the consequences don't bare thinking about.

"I know, I'm just a bit frazzled at the moment I guess. I'll be OK, everything will be OK, you'll see."

I hope "Go on, get out of here. I've lectured you enough for one day I think."

"Thanks Roxie, for not staying mad at me I mean." He said as he lifted himself into a crouch, "I'm sorry for all of this Roxie, I promise I'll make it up to you!"

"That's what I'm afraid of." She muttered as he blasted into the air.

Megamind lay on his back on the floor, staring at the softly swaying pieces of paper hanging from the ceiling by red string. After flying home from Roxanne's apartment, and nearly crashing into more than one building in the process, he had waltzed back into the Lair feeling as light as a cloud. He had danced around the brainbots, stroking a few of them tenderly on their plasma domes when they came into range. That was how Minion had found him, all but singing to himself as he drifted weightlessly around the lair. After a very strange conversation, Minion had given up on getting any coherent information out of his boss and had decided to simply leave him to it.

Megamind grinned to himself and couldn't help the giggle that bubbled up inside of him.

"I kissed the hero's _girlfriend_!" He muttered to himself as his giggling intensified into a full blow maniacal laugh, "I kissed _Roxanne Ritchie_!" The brainbots loitering in the rafters watched him curiously as he lay flat oh his back, clutching his sides and he laughed uncontrollably. Eventually he sobered up, his lingering chuckle dissolved into a contented sigh. He had honestly never felt like this before, even when in the middle of a new, perfectly constructed, plan to defeat Metroman. Realisation hit him like a rock, he _had_ felt somewhat like this before, but only when _she_ was there.

There had been occasions, few and far between true but they existed none the less, when he had revealed his latest invention or described his next foolproof plan, when he had caught sight of something in her eyes. Those few, deliciously intriguing moments when he had actually managed to _impres_s her. When a light had shone in her eyes and her bound hands had twitched and pulled on the ropes, silently begging to be allowed to touch whatever it was he had just revealed to her. These moment were always followed quickly with a scathing put down, some quip about how his inventions and plans were doomed to fail, no matter how brilliant he thought they were.

He sighed as he pushed the biting remarks from his mind and instead focuses on the memory of every time he saw that spark in her eyes. It had been there more times than he had realised and for some _inexplicable_ reason, it had been mainly with the smaller, more discreet inventions he had come up with. The bigger inventions, the Equestrionator to name but one, had done nothing to spark her interest, but the Roxanne-bots had been something different. When he had reeled them out, taking time to carefully position them around the city, tweaking the vocal circuits carefully so that their pitch would be just perfect, Roxanne had even said her own mother would have had difficulty distinguishing which voice was hers. Of course, true to form, she had replied to his rambling monologue with a cutting remark that left him feeling deflated and bruised, so much so that he had rushed their deployment and the whole thing had gone horribly wrong. _Again_.

"I don't know why I'm surprised," She had said with a bored expression on her face teemed with a mocking smirk, "You have never been able to get the real me to scream for you, it was only a matter of time before you made your very own Roxanne dolly. Tell me, did you get the idea from an Adult's Toy shop?"

He cringed at the memory of how he had reacted to that. Confusion had been evident on his face as he truly had no idea what she was going on about. Then it had dawned on him, and he had blushed the most brilliant shade of purple and had to go and hide for a while. He couldn't even make eye contact with her after that one as he thought about what she had implied he had invented the robots for. The worst thing was that he had been unable to get that idea out of his head for days! But still, she had been _impressed_! He had shown her what he could do and she had liked it despite everything!

"Minion!" He yelled, snapping himself out of his memories suddenly as he kicked himself back onto his feet, not quite managing to make his landing in the dramatic nature he had intended. He was pulling his cape back from over his head as Minion came shuffling from around the corner.

"You bellowed, Sir?" The fish asked as he hurried to his boss's side. He had been waiting around the corner, really not sure on how to react to the man's strange mood, so he had simply waited.

"Yes Minion, we have been idol for long enough! It is not every day we get to start on the next _devilishly_ evil scheme immediately after the last! Metroman has made a mistake by not sending me to jail this time! And it is a mistake he is going to _regre_t!" Megamind said with a flourish as he gestured to his idea cloud.

A smile spread on Minion's face, whatever it was that had been bothering his friend seemed to have passed. He could see the night before that Megamind was acting strangely around Miss Ritchie and the potential for disaster scared Minion silly. The signs had been there for a long time, that Megamind was … attracted to the reporter, but he had always managed to maintain a professional working relationship. The fact that Roxanne had never shown any signs of reciprocating these growing feeling had helped, until last night. During the whole plan with the fake observatory she had seemed to be actually _flirting_ with him.

Minion was nearly sick with worry when Megamind had taken so long to come home from dropping Miss Ritchie off. Then he had been acting like _this_. Minions decided that it was part of his job to protect his boss from the path he was suddenly turning down. He had to find a way to snap the blue alien out of this mind set.

The bad guy does _not_ get the girl.

"This is ridiculous Minion, There must be something we haven't thought of yet!" Megamind yelled in frustration as he slumped down into his chair. They had been working for almost 4 days, trying to come up with a new plan to finally defeat Metroman once and for all. While Megamind had no trouble coming up with a new terrifying device that would at last get rid of the pesky hero, he was having trouble with one other very important aspect of the plan.

"I don't see why we can't use one of these ideas sir," Minion said as he looked over the plans. There were, "They all seem suitably threatening Sir."

"Oh _Minion_," Megamind sighed as he drew his hand down over his face, "you just don't get it!"

"Oh," The fish said, a concerned look on his face, this sort of behaviour was not like his boss in any way. They normally had no trouble what-so-ever coming up with a new plan but for some reason, the blue man was having trouble deciding on the opening aspects of the plan. "Well, I'm sure any of these would suitably terrify Miss Ritchie, Sir?" Minion finished of weakly as he watched the conflicting emotions flit across Megamind's face.

"I need to think!" Megamind said suddenly as he stood up and marched over to the elevator that led up to the fake observatory that still lay atop the evil lair. He opened the observatory doors and stepped out onto the observation platform and leant heavily on the railings overlooking the lake and the city beyond. The night air had held it's temperature from the heat wave the city was experiencing and the breeze coming in off the lake helped to take away some of the humidity. He sighed heavily as he removed the heavy collar from around his neck and lay it, cape and all, across the railings. Minion was right, they were all _very good_ ideas. He had sketched out at least 10 different ideas for ways in which to suitably endanger Roxanne's life in order to lure the hero to her rescue. The trouble was, he just couldn't bring himself to choose one. Minion was right, of course. All of the plans were brilliant. Everything from suspending her upside down over the alligator pit (A new twist on an old favourite) to chaining her to a table and having a slow-running laser beam inch closer to her in an _oh-so_ menacing way. The main problem was he couldn't seem to keep his mind on the job, especially thinking about the best way to restrain her against a table or a wall.

The game had changes in a way he had never expected it to. Now he truly had no idea of how to proceed, and it was driving him crazy!

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><p><em>Well, I'm glad the one is out, When I came to edit the next chapter I found that too much had been left unsaid and just up in the air. So... go go transition chapter!<em>

_The next one will be out before whristmas and will be better. and there will be more action and an explosion, mainly because nothing has blown up in a while. _


	7. Statues are good listeners

_I hope everyone had a merry christmas (or happy holiday or whever). I tried to get this out before but I didnt want to rush it. It's another mid-length chapter. I had considered merging it with the next chapter to make a nice long one but I want to leave a little suspence._

_I believe I promised you all an explosion. Lets see if you can't guess what's going to blow up this time. Slight retelling (or as I like to say, a recycled set scene) but this is a very different look at it._

_Enjoy._

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><p>Roxanne let out a sigh as she watched the people milling about in front of City Hall. The general population of Metro City was finally starting to relax, they were starting to get used to going about their daily lives without the shadow of imminent attack hanging over them at all times. Even the mayor was beginning to relax! It seemed that the only people in the entire city who weren't pleased with the peace that had descended over the city was Roxanne and Metroman.<p>

It had been two whole months. Eight weeks since Megamind had made his last attempt on the city. That attempt had been his biggest yet, resulting in the total destruction of the city's old observatory and Megamind had not been seen by anyone except for Roxanne since, and that had only been days after. It was like he had simply disappeared.

Roxanne had been tempted to go back to the 'evil lair' and look for him but she felt that she had pushed some boundaries the last time that shouldn't have been pushed at all. If she only knew one thing about Megamind, it was that he had a very strong moral code, and privacy was a very big part of that code. He had never come _snooping_ into her apartment so what gave her the right to go snooping around in his home? His absence, however, was having a profound affect on her, as everyone close to her could tell.

"Yo Roxie!" Hal yelled as he hurried over from the van he had parked illegally, yet again, near the steps leading up to the Metroman Museum, "You ready? It's nearly show time!"

"OK, how long till we're live, Hal?" She asked as she took the microphone from him and smoothed down her top.

"I dunno, like 5 minutes or something?" Hal shrugged as he stared fussing with the camera. Roxanne gritted her teeth against a swell of frustrated anger that was swelling up inside of her. Over the past few weeks she had found herself becoming increasingly irritable, and Hal seemed to be taking the brunt of her abuse without complaint.

"Whatever," She sighed as she tried to focus on the job at hand. The network was trying to make the best of the slow news time that the city was going through. A Megamind story as usually on hand to fill up airtime every day yet recently, the news flow had well and truly dried up.

"OK, 3 minutes to air!" Hal said suddenly as he connected up his earphones to hear the producer screaming his name. He grinned as he heard the woman yelling for him and made some joke about if she really wanted him that badly she should have just said so. As he placed the camera on his shoulder to line up the shot he watched Roxanne straightening her outfit. She had gone for jeans and a simple white tank top with a cute little black jacket over the top to make it more formal.

"Ready Hal?" She asked as he just stood there, staring at her through the lens of the camera.

"OK in 3...2..." Hal said as he counted down on one hand, pointing at her as they went live on air.

"Good evening Metro City and welcome to another beautiful night here at the Metroman Museum. The past few weeks have shown us al what life can truly be like without the constant fear of attack hanging over this city. But is this peace time really as good as it seems or could it simply be too good to be true?" She smiled into the camera before allowing a little concern to show in her eyes, "For years Megamind has been a consistent part in all of our lives, never wavering from the same pattern no matter how badly he is defeated by Metroman. So where is he now? What is he planning? No matter what it is I think we can all assume that it will be big. This is Roxanne Ritchie reporting live from the Metroman Museum wondering what will Megamind do next, and where will he strike?"

"Annnnd that is _that_!" Hal said loudly as he turned off the camera, taking it off of his shoulder.

"I _hate_ reporting on nothing!" Roxanne muttered to herself as she took off her jacket and handed it and the microphone back to Hal, "put those in the van for me, thanks Hal." She turned away and started to walk up the steps to the Museum. The crowd had begun to thin out as the cold night air set in and the Museum looked peaceful and deserted, just what she needed at that moment.

"Hey Roxie!" Hal shouted as he chased her up the steps, "look, I'm having a party at my place if you wanna come over, it's going to be super cool!" He looked up at her with such a hopeful expression that she actually nearly considered accepting his offer.

"Sorry Hal, I don't really feel like being around a bunch of people." She smiled apologetically as she turned to continue up the steps. His hand on her arm stopped her and she pulled out of his grip as if he had burned her.

"No, that's like the best part, it will just be like, you and me!" Hal looked up at her with such a look of hope and expectation that she almost felt guilty for the sheer amount of revulsion that she was feeling at that moment.

"Wow," Roxanne said as she searched for the right words, "gee Hal, that's really sweet of you but I think I'm gonna pass." She smiled nervously at him again before turning to hurry up the stairs.

"Some other time then? Like tomorrow?" Hal asked as he walked backwards down the stairs. A small, spiteful part of Roxanne wished he would trip and fall, maybe the impact would knock some sense into him.

"Goodnight Hal!" Roxanne yelled over her shoulder and started trotting up the steps, tuning out the sound of his voice and not waiting for a reply. She quickly walked into the museum, looking around the deserted building at all of the artefacts and works of art all depicting the superiority of the city's wonder-boy. Roxanne rolled her eyes, wondering just how long it would take for the city to realise the hero they worshipped was little more than a jumped up pretty-boy with rich parents and bizarre abilities. She had often been told that thousands of women would give their right arms for the chance to be as close to Metroman as she was. Little did they know that she would gladly step back and let someone else take over. She tried to clear her mind as she rode the glass elevator up to the observation platform at the top of the museum. It was the quietest part of the building, most people finding it a rather terrifying place to be considering its height above the ground and the glass floor.

With a sullen expression she stared at the feint scratches on the glass beneath her feet as she slowly walked around the curve of the platform so that she stood between the giant revolving statue of Metroman and the city hall. She leant against the railings and gazed at the back of the statue's head as it revolved slowly underneath a giant golden globe.

"You know I think I like you better when you're made of marble." She said after a long silence, "it's much easier to get a word in this way. Plus your ego isn't quite as big." She chuckled slightly to herself as she looked around self consciously. She knew that there was no one else on the platform but she could almost feel a presence. She shrugged the feeling off and looked up at the statue once again.

"I should be happy I suppose, I haven't had to worry about being dangled over a pit of piranha fish or being threatened with a _laser-pointer of doom_ or anything like that. For once my life is actually going smoothly, I've been to three different social functions this month alone and I have gotten a cab home every time! Normally all I had to think about was getting there and wearing something that wouldn't crease after being manhandled and tied up!

"So why do I feel so... down? Oh this is _ridiculous_! I sound like I actually miss him! I don't! Getting kidnapped every week almost without fail gets old _really_ fast, why in the world would I miss that?" She sighed deeply as she leaned over the railings looking down at the floor below, she frowned as she saw what looked like yellow roses scattered haphazardly around the feet of the statue. She shook her head and looked back up to the statue that had turned to face her, its sightless eyes gazing majestically up into the night sky.

"I guess I do miss the conversation. All that '_witty banter_' wasn't just between the two of you, you know. And lord knows I don't have that many intelligent men in my life to talk to! I'm not exactly overrun on friends, and it's all _your_ fault I hope you realise. Men are afraid to talk to me in case _you_ turn up and rip their heads off, and women are too busy glaring at me for being a neglectful girlfriend to their '_hero_'. I-"

"_Roxanne?_" The shocked voice cut her off in mid flow and she turned to see the reclusive super-villain standing a little way around the platform dressed in his trademark body suit, minus the high collar and stiff shoulder pads. His silky cape was tied around his neck in a knot in much the same way as a child would tie a bath towel around their neck whilst pretending to be a super hero.

"_Megamind_?" Roxanne yelled and took a few steps back as the blue alien came at her in a flat out run.

"What are you doing here? No one is supposed to be here!" He yelled at her as he got nearer, his eyes shining in panic. A '_ding_' noise cut through the silence that followed and both turned to see the elevator doors close and the sign above the doors indicate that the only way off of the platform was starting its long decent to the museum below.

"Oh _no_." Megamind muttered as he looked from Roxanne and back to the elevator.

"What is up with you?" She shouted, finding her spark once again, "You've been gone for _weeks_ and _this_ is where you show up? Fancy a stroll through the museum of your failures did you?"

"_Oh no_." Megamind repeated as he rubbed at the back of his neck nervously, "oh no no no no no no no!" He threw himself to the railings of the platform and looked down to the feet of the statue. He could see the feint blue glow from the brainbots that were positioning the explosives and watched with horror as they retreated out of the designated danger zone in preparation for the blast that was about to follow. "oh NO!" He yelled as he grabbed onto Roxanne's hand and ran for the other elevator.

"Megamind!" She protested as he pulled her along the platform, "what are you _doing_?"

"We have to get out of here! And I mean _now_!" He yelled, panic clear on his face. He thumped at the button for the elevator and watched the display anxiously as it slowly began to climb. 'not enough time not enough time!' His mind was screaming at him as he dashed back to the edge of the platform.

"Megamind, what is going on? What's wrong?" Roxanne was beginning to panic herself, there had only been a few occasions where she had seen the blue man this bad and none of those times had happy memories. Suddenly he was in front of her, grasping her hands in his as he looked into her eyes.

"Do you trust me?" He asked breathlessly.

"_What_?"

"Roxanne, do you _trust me_?" He asked again, the seriousness in his eyes shocked her, she had never seen him like this before and it truly scared her. She realised with a start that it wasn't him that she was scared of, she was _terrified_ of whatever it was that was scaring_ him_!

"Yes." She said in a whisper after a few moments. No sooner had she said it he crushed his lips to hers in a fierce kiss that lasted for only a second before he wrapped his arms securely around her and scooped her up.

"Wait, what are you doAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed as he hopped up onto the railings on the outer edge of the platform and jumped. She wrapped her arms around him as tightly as she could as she watched the ground getting nearer to them at a sickening rate. Suddenly an explosion changed their angle and they fell towards the fountain, bits of rubble and broken glass flying through the air around them.

"_Brainbots_!" Megamind yelled above the sound of the explosion, terror clearly evident in his voice as he held on tightly to Roxanne. Not a few moments later a swarm of his faithful creations surrounded them, grabbing at them with their metal tendrils. Their momentum was too strong for the brainbots to fully counter but their efforts were just enough to lift the couple the few extra feet they needed so they landed heavily into the deep water of the fountain.

Roxanne was the first to surface, coughing and spluttering as she desperately tried to get air into her burning lungs. After a few moments she managed to catch her breath and realised that Megamind had yet to come up for air. The Brainbots that had come to his aid during the fall were hovering above the water nervously, pawing at the rippling murk with their metal tendrils.

"Megamind?" She asked, panting heavily as she looked around her. The water was about 6 foot deep and she was having a bit of difficulty treading water in her jeans and heels. She began to panic when he didn't reply, "_Megamind_!" She yelled as she frantically span around in circles. Taking in a deep breath into her painful lungs, she ducked under the water and tried to force her eyes to adjust to the murky liquid.

Pieces of debris shot through the water as they fell out of the sky, leaving trails of dust and bubbles in their wake. She frantically searched, having to surface twice for more air before she saw him out of the corner of her eye. He was drifting in the water, his cape caught around one of the fountain's pumps. His eyes were closed and he want moving, a few tiny bubbles escaped from his nose as she finally reached him and struggled to pull the cape from around his neck. It finally came free, floating away both from the pump and the unconscious man's neck, and Roxanne grabbed him to her and kicked off from the bottom of the fountain as hard as she could.

Grunting with the effort she finally managed to swim the both of them over to the edge of the fountain and hauled him up over the marble ledge to the pavement on the other side. She rolled him onto his back and put her ear to his chest, praying for any sign of life from the blue alien.

"Oh god, Megamind _No_!" She cried, tears streaming down her face as she shook his shoulders violently, "Megamind! Wake up, please Megamind!"

Her mind seemed to be alarmingly empty and in a panicked whirl, all at the same time as she ran her hands over his face and neck, her fingers clawing into the leather of his suit. Eventually her brain caught up with the situation and she placed both of her hands, one on top of the other, against his chest and began to pump in a desperate attempt to keep him alive. She was crying out his name over and over again with every pump as she watched his pale face for any sign of life. Leaning forwards she tilted his chin up, pinched his nose and covered his mouth with hers as she blew a lung full of air into his lifeless body.

"Don't you dare!" She hiccuped as she pulled back to take in another breath before forcing it into his lungs, "Don't you _fucking dare_!" He suddenly took a shuddering gasp and a sickening amount of water bubbled up from his mouth as he rolled over, his body leaning against her folded legs as he coughed violently, his entire body trembling.

"Oh thank god! _Thank god_!" Roxanne repeated over and over again as she hugged him to her, cradling his trembling body as he clung onto her for dear life, pulling himself into a slumped sitting position as he leaned heavily against her. He took in great gasps of air as he buried his face against her chest, rocking back and forth as his entire being focused on getting enough air to survive. Sirens sounding in the distance brought reality back as she turned her head to see the ruins of the Metroman Museum burning itself to the ground. He had saved her life again and nearly ended his own in the process.

A sudden screeching noise caused her to jump violently and his arms tightened around her as his breathing slowly became more of a hard pant rather than a desperate gasp. The leather interior of a large car suddenly appeared in thin air as Minion flung open the door to the invisible car, leaping out and running towards the trembling pair. Roxanne suddenly became aware of the pack of brainbots that were still hovering around them, occasionally making halting movements towards the pair as if they didn't know what to do to help their creator.

"Sir! Miss Ritchie! Are you OK?" He yelled in panic as he skidded to a halt in front of them and dropped down to his knees to examine the trembling alien, "what _happened_? Sir are you OK Sir? Speak to me _please_!"

"I'm... OK, Minion." Megamind said a few moments later in a nearly inaudible wheeze without pulling away from Roxanne. With the way she was holding on to him he didn't think he could have pulled back even if he wanted to, "I think … Miss Ritchie ... just saved my ... life."

"Miss _Ritchie_?" Minion looked like he was about to cry too, if it were possible for a fish to do such a thing. He looked up at Roxanne with a look of wonder on his face, no one beside himself had ever done anything to help his master let alone actually going as far as saving his life.

"Not before you saved mine,_ again_." She laughed despite the situation, her tears mixing with the water from the fountain and running off her chin and onto the top of his head. The sirens got louder as the police and fire department rounded the corner into the square and spread towards the burning museum, "You need to go,_ now_!" She said quickly as she relinquished her hold on him in order to pry his arms away from her.

"But-" He protested as he looked up into her face as she quickly stood up in front of him, his hand trailing down her side, over her hip and down her leg to linger at the back of her knee.

"No buts!" She snapped as she shot minion a poignant look and nodded towards the gathering police, "Go,_ now_! I wont tell them anything, I _swear_! Just, please get out of here before they find you!"

He stayed where he was, sitting at her feet and holding onto her leg with one hand, his fingers twitched slightly causing a shiver to run up her leg, until Minion stooped down and lifted his boss into his arms. The fish nodded at Roxanne before turning and hurrying over to the invisible car, quickly placing Megamind in the back seat before he got in the drivers seat and shut the door. The sound of the engine revving and the tires squealing as the car pulled away was suddenly the only evidence that the device even existed. The brainbots took to the sky immediately, apparently following some pre-programmed route back to the Lair, none of them travelling in the same direction before they flew out of view.

Movement caught her eye and Roxanne turned to look back at the fountain that had saved their lives yet had nearly killed them. The black cape floated at the edge, bobbing lazily on the rippling surface. She bent to pick it up and looked to the wet spot on the ground where the villain had laid dying. She hugged the dripping material to her chest, looking at it in wonder as the water simply rolled off it, leaving it almost perfectly dry while she herself felt like she would never be dry and warm again. She noticed a figure running towards her, silhouetted in the firelight so she bundled up the black material and held onto it as if it belonged to her, hoping no one would question it.

"Are you OK Miss?" The police officer said as he reached her, radioing in for a paramedic team to attend, "Were you in the explosion Miss?" A thousand thoughts ran through Roxanne's head as she looked at the young police officer. He couldn't have been older then 22, obviously new to the force and the city if he truly didn't recognise her. _Everyone_ knew her.

"I was... j-just walking...and..." She said, trying to get her thoughts in order, she was about to say more but the police officer finished for her, unwittingly providing her with the perfect cover story.

"You were walking past when the explosion occurred?" He asked as he helped her to sit down on the edge of the fountain, "Did the force of the blast push you into the fountain?" Roxanne nodded dumbly, staring at the burning museum, shock setting in. She nearly laughed at the irony of the situation, considering that she had only moments before been complaining about her life suddenly being boring and predictable.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Ok, I know I have stretched the rules of poetic licence in this a little, you have no idea how long I worried myself over the fact that I really dont think a city fountain would be _that_ deep_, _but in order for Megs to be knocked out cold but otherwise uninjured I had to do it. I know it is all too easy for someone to drown in a shallow fountain, but they needed something nice and deep to fall into so lets just gloss over the unproctected 6ft deep fountain in the middle of the city._

_I know in the movie that Megamind had left enough time for himself to get out of the museum when it blew, but he was really cutting it close. Plus I really dont want to think about what would have happened to poor, misunderstood Bernard if Megamind had never bumped into him and dehydrated him away to accidental safety. Still, he was in that museum in this fic too, it would not have been open otherwise I dont suppose...ohh I hope he got out ok._

_As always, all reviews are welcome._


	8. Highs and Lows

_Seriously, thank you to everyone who has been reviewing! I can't believe how many i've had, it's fantastic! One person pointed out that I wasnt allowing anonymous reviews, well I didn't even realise, so I'm off to fix that now. So, if you have been reading but unable to review, here is your chance! (If you still can't that means I havnt figured out how to change the settings but bear with me!)_

_Now, We have had the explosion so now comed the emotional aftermath. Nothing too heavy, some swearing and a bit of violence._

* * *

><p>She shut the door of her apartment and leaned against it, utterly exhausted. She was still clutching the black cape, not letting it go even when the paramedics insisted on checking her over. They had wanted to take her to hospital to run some tests but she had declined and insisted on signing the form that declared she was acting against medical advice and simply walked home. The police officer had wanted to give her a lift back but she declined his offer, saying that she was fine and that the walk would clear her head. Eventually she turned a glare on the poor young man and said in no uncertain terms that if he wanted her to get into the back of his police car then he would have to arrest her.<p>

The walk had given her time to think but it had done nothing to help her make sense of her own feelings. Every time she thought of seeing Megamind's lifeless body lying on the floor in front of her, she wanted to be sick and hot tears would prick at her eyes. At first she tried to tell herself that she would be feeling the same if it were anyone else lying there. That it was simply the horrific situation and not the identity of the man lying all but dead at her feet. She realised, with a sinking feeling, that the gut wrenching sorrow she felt every time she thought of how pale his face looked, and how still he had lain there, was too profound to be simple concern that she would feel for any living creature.

She slid down the door until she was sitting on the carpet, her knees pulled up to her chest, hugging the cape to her tightly. She could feel the water that still saturated her entire being squeezing out of her clothes and soaking into the plush carpet. She rested her forehead against he knees and tried to focus on breathing deeply. Every time she closed her eyes she could see him, clear as day, almost as if she could reach out and touch him. She could see him lying there, paler than she had ever seen him before, unbreathing, unmoving.

Opening her eyes, she realised that she could smell him, the cape that she was clutching so closely was covered in his scent. A smell that she had never realised she could recognise so easily. With a determined look in her eyes she stood, having made up her mind on what she was going to do, and made a bee-line for a dry change of clothes in her bedroom.

...

"Sir, are you sure you are OK?" Minion asked as he helped his friend get out of the car. The brainbots fussed around them more than usual until Minion chased them off with threats of blow torches and reinvention into children's toys.

"I'm fine, Minion." Megamind said quietly as he dragged himself out of the back of the car. He staggered across the lair, barely able to stay standing as he held onto the various inventions that littered the huge expanse of space until he reached the sofa. With a relieved sigh he slumped on the back of the leather sofa and rolled over it to land on his back on the cushions, one leg still hooked over the back.

He lay there for a few moments with his eyes closed, just breathing as deeply as he could. Every time he thought of what had happened his throat closed up and he struggled to breath in anything other than gasping pants. He could remember everything up until hitting the water, but after that things got rather confused. He remembered a sharp pain in his head just after he hit the water, but after that everything went blank until he woke up, his lungs on fire and Roxanne leaning over him crying. He had grabbed onto her and held on as if his life had depended on it, his entire body shaking. He could feel her trembling also, her hot tears falling onto his head as he held himself against her chest like a scared little child. Megamind grasped at his own chest as his heart thundered inside his rib cage at the mere memory of the night's events.

"Sir..." Minion said as he stood over his friend, the fish still incredibly shaken by the whole incident, "Sir you... you almost..." Minion squeezed his eyes shut and turned away in his bowl, not wanting to put words to what could have happened. The feel of a hand against his gorilla arm caused him to spin back round quickly.

"I know, old friend." Megamind said in a tired voice as he forced a smile for his best friend. Minion really was a kind hearted and pure soul and seeing him so upset always made Megamind feel terrible. Hardly a plan went by when Megamind did not feel some twinge of regret at dragging Minion along with him on the path his life had taken.

Minion smiled a tight-lipped smile and nodded, saying everything that needed to be sad between them without even saying a word. Silently, he helped his boss to sit up as he removed the man's leather top, revealing his still pale blue skin underneath, swollen and wrinkled with exposure to too much water. As Megamind settled back on the sofa and closed his eyes, Minion went to find something to occupy his mind for a while and soon found himself in the kitchen, furiously baking batch after batch of cookies, his fail-safe coping mechanism kicking into overdrive.

Megamind faded into a fitful sleep, his dreams plagued with thoughts of drowning until his dreams switched onto Roxanne and the feeling of being held protectively in her arms. In his dreams he was a child again, struggling to survive in the viscous world of school, while growing up in a prison. He dreamt that Roxanne was there, scooping him up in her arms and making all of the fear, loneliness and rejection go away.

...

She paid the taxi driver way over the odds for the trip out of town and had him drop her off a couple of blocks away from her destination. She walked the short distance quickly, shifting her bag higher on her shoulder as she eyed the dark alleyways cautiously. Rounding the final corner she finally gave into the urge to run and trotted across the street quickly. She paused in front of the wall that wasn't a wall and held a hand out to test it. When her hand disappeared through the bricks she stepped through, finding herself by the same doors that she had found accidentally some time ago. With a nervous smile, she opened the door and stepped through quietly, still feeling like she had to sneak around, like she shouldn't be there at all. She squeaked in surprise as a brainbot appeared directly in her path, its glowing red eye inches from her face as it examined her.

"Hey there..." Roxanne said nervously as the brainbot made an insistent 'bowg' noise, "is your _daddy_ around?" She had heard Megamind refer to himself as daddy on multiple occasions when he grew frustrated with the brainbot's antics and forgot that she was still there, tied to the chair. When he remembered he would always try to cover it up somehow, but his blush gave the game away, he never meant her to see him interacting with his creations like that.

The brainbot dashed forward a few inches causing Roxanne to jump backwards. The red glow deepening alarmingly as it made more angry sounding noises at her. She kept on backing up as it advanced on her until her back hit the wall.

"Megamind?" Roxanne called out as she tried to shrink further away from the brainbot, more of them were turning up, surrounding her and advancing on her from all directions, "_Megamind_? _Minion_?" She shouted over the sound of the brainbot's warning calls.

"Miss _Ritchie_?" Minion's voice was full of surprise as he came dashing out from somewhere deeper in the lair, "Hey! Leave Miss Ritchie alone! She's a friend of Daddy's! You_ know_ you are _not_ to harm Miss Ritchie!" He yelled as he rushed towards the pack of brainbots, scattering them in all directions.

"Thank you." Roxanne said as she watched them retreat to a safe distance. She focused on the one that had confronted her, it had flown up to perch on a metal beam high above them yet still watched every move she was making.

"Errm... what are you doing here Miss Ritchie?" Minion asked, a frown forming on his face despite his polite smile.

"I..." Roxanne closed her eyes and took a deep breath in an attempt to stop her voice from quivering. She told herself that she was not some weak woman who always needed saving, she was stronger than this. She gave herself a mental shakedown before putting her game face on and looking back up at Minion. "I wanted to see him."

"OK, but, he is resting so if he starts getting cranky, then..." Minion chuckled, apparently pleased with her response, "follow me."

She followed behind him in silence as he walked through the lair, weaving past invention after invention. At first Roxanne tried to keep her eyes on Minion's back, not wanting to be too nosey, but after a few moments she couldn't help but stare in amazement at all of the inventions scattered around the room. She could see at least five that were still being worked on judging by the amount of tools scattered around them. Every one of them was different, it was a wonder he could keep everything straight in his own head while working on so many different projects. She began to recognise the section of the lair they were heading to, it was the part with the large movie screen and the leather sofa and coffee table that seemed so out of place in such a cold environment. As they rounded a particularly large invention that was partially covered in a large brown tarp she could see one of Megamind's boots propped up against the back of the sofa.

"Sir?" Minion asked quietly as he gestured for her to wait where she was, he checked to see if he was asleep before continuing, "Miss Ritchie is-"

"_Roxanne_?" Megamind said sharply as he sat bolt upright on the sofa. His head swivelled round quickly and instantly made eye contact with her as she stood shifting her weight from one foot to another anxiously. Without a moments hesitation he stood and rounded the sofa, meeting her half way as she practically threw herself at him, landing in a crushing hug.

"I'm so glad you're OK!" She said in a squeaky voice as she buried her face against his chest. She wrapped her arms tightly around his torso as he did the same with her, pulling her firmly up against his chest. He buried his nose in her hair as he stood there, holding onto her as if she was the most precious thing on the planet.

"Right back at you." He mumbled into her hair as he rubbed his hand up and down her spine firmly. He could feel her body starting to tremble as she held her breath in an attempt to hold back her tears. A sob broak free from her throat as her breath came in a hitching gasp. He tightened his grip on her and nuzzled his face against the top of her head. His mind reeled over the possible reasons for her to be there, in the Lair, in his arms, yet he failed to make sense of any of it.

"It's ok," He whispered, still very aware of Minion hovering on the side lines, "you can cry. I won't tell anyone, not even Minion." He smiled as both Roxanne and Minion let a short chuckle slip. In Roxanne's case, that short laugh opened the flood gates and she began sobbing loudly into his chest.

"I'll just... yeah." Minion muttered as he turned and left, giving the pair some privacy and shooing a few of the more nosey brainbots away.

"I thought I'd lost you." She said in a hiccuping voice as she pulled herself as close to him as she could get, "which is stupid because..." she took in a shuddering breath against his chest as one of his hands slid up her back to tangle into her hair, "because, it's not like … like I _had _you in the first place." She hiccuped as the last of her sobs shook her small frame.

"Sshhhhh," He breathed into her hair, "you can't get rid of me that easily." He smirked as he felt her laugh before a brief wave of dizziness threatened to pull him to the floor. Gently he stepped backwards, keeping her in place as he pulled her with him. Once he was standing with his back to the seat of the sofa he bend and scooped her legs up quickly before dropping down onto the seat with Roxanne sat sideways across his lap. Aside from shifting slightly to find a comfortable position, she didn't move, still clinging onto him as if he would disappear if she let go. They sat there for a long time in silence, Roxanne listening to the steady drum beat of his heart as it thudded with life within his chest and Megamind resting his cheek against the top of her head as he closed his eyes.

"I'm _sorry_," she said after a while as she slipped one of her arms from behind his back and placed her hand on his chest in front of her face. The muscles in his chest jumped slightly at her touch and she thought she detected a change in his heart rate thundering in his chest. "I didn't want to break down on you like this, I just had to make sure you were OK."

"You don't have anything to be sorry about!" He said quietly as he rubbed her lower back gently as he sighed into her hair.

"God, I must look so stupid, crying like this. I'm supposed to be stronger than this!" She sniffed as she scrubbed at her eyes with the heel of her free hand.

"Hey!" Megamind said firmly as he lifted his head away from hers to look down at her, tilting her head up with a finger under her chin, "you _are_ strong, and you do _not_ look stupid. I'm the one who thought it would be a good idea to blow up a building while I was standing at the top of it!" He smirked at her as she chuckled lightly as she tucked her head under his chin against his neck.

"_I'm_ the one who should be sorry." He said after a while, "I put your life in danger. If I had known you were there I would never have-"

"You saved my life!" She said sharply as she puled back from his so she could look him in the face.

"But you wouldn't have needed saving if it wasn't for me." He said quietly as he reached forwards and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, cupping her cheek in his hand in the process.

"Nothing new there then." She said with a small smile as she leaned into his hand slightly, her eyes drifting shut for a moment.

"I'm serious," He said after his answering smirk faded from his face, "Roxanne, I... I don't know what I would have done if you had been..."

"Well I wasn't, you made sure of that. And besides, it was _you_ who nearly died trying to rescue me!" Her eyes unfocused as her mind went back to seeing his body lying against the wet pavement, his chest still as his lungs stopped working.

"And you saved me!" His soft voice brought her back to the present as he stroked her cheek gently, "you brought me back to life, _literally_! You could have just let me go, the rest of the world would have thanked you."

"Don't say that!" She shouted a lot louder than she had meant to, her voice echoing around the lair as she looked into his eyes with a look of panic on her face, "how could you even _suggest.._. I could never..."

"It's _true_. I'm the villain, Roxanne. The _bad guy_." He reminded her gently, "no one in this city, besides Minion, cares if I live or die."

"I care." She said quietly as she looked into his eyes. The realisation of that fact came flooding in in a moment of utter clarity that she hadn't had since their game had changed. If someone pointed a gun to her head she didn't think she could tell them why, but she knew, deep down, that she did. "I care" She repeated it as if to confirm it for herself, her heart skipping a beat at the tiny, hopeful smile that tugged on his lips.

"You... you do?" he breathed, not quite believe what she had said, "_why_?"

"Honestly? I have no idea." She laughed slightly as she reached forwards and ran the pad of her thumb down his goatee, "By rights I should run screaming at the mere mention of your name-"

"Yes, well it seems I've never been very good at making you scream." He smirked at her and quirked up one eyebrow, grinning at her as she hit him in the shoulder for interrupting her.

"But... oh, I don't know. It's like, after all these years I've gotten to _know_ you and … I just... I can't help it." She said, finding it difficult to get her thoughts in order and not really understanding what she was feeling. When she looked back at his face he was smirking impishly at her, a sparkle in his eyes she had never seen before.

"I'm just that irresistible, huh?" He said as he massaged his hand against her hip and tipped his head forward to gaze at her through his eyelashes.

"And then your _ego_ goes and gets in the way!" she smirked in reply as she ran her hand up his chest. She was about to say something more when he suddenly opened his mouth in a massive yawn that seemed to have caught him by surprise. "you tired?"

"Yeah, but I shouldn't really go to sleep again, I probably have a mild concussion. I took a pretty nasty bump on the head today you know!" He smiled tiredly at her as he resisted the urge to yawn again.

"You know I hadn't noticed." She chuckled lightly as she glanced around her, locating the TV remote on the coffee table, "lie down then." She commanded as she stood up in front of him. He groaned at the loss of contact but did as instructed, grinning like an idiot when she nudged him onto his side with his back up against the back cushions of the sofa and lay down in front of him with her back to his chest. "What channels do you get?" She asked as his arms snaked around her, pulling her firmly back against his chest.

"_All of them_." He said as he smiled against the top of her head, trying to commit every second of this to memory. Everything in his body told him that this was too good to be true, that it could never last, so he was going to enjoy it while he could.

"_Legally_?" She asked with a smirk. She closed her eyes as she felt his chuckle vibrate in his chest against her back.

"If I said 'yes' would you believe me?" He smirked as he shifted deeper into the cushions.

"Errm, Sir? Would you and Miss Ritchie like some refreshments?" Minion asked as he edged closer. He had been waiting for a lull in their conversation before daring to interrupt them. His instincts had been screaming at him for the last 20 minutes to go and check on him and to see how well he was recovering from the trauma he had suffered. If the fish had hair he would have been pulling it out in clumps.

"Thank you Minion, that would be fantastic!" Megamind said softly as he closed his eyes, breathing deeply and steadily against her hair.

"Thank you, Minion." Roxanne said softly as she looked up at the fish, blushing slightly.

"No, Miss Ritchie," Minion said with a sincere smile, "I should be thanking you! I don't know what I would have done if anything had... Well, I'll just go and get some lemonade then!" He said as he hurried away to fetch the pitcher and some glasses. He made up his mind to find some way to repay Miss Ritchie for bringing his only friend back to him.

...

He felt warm and comfortable, more so that he had ever felt before in his life. As he groggily tried to return to the deep sleep he was waking up from, he realised that he had never before had such a good nights sleep. Normally his sleep was plagued with thoughts and dreams that never allowed him to get any rest, but this time something was different. His mind was slower to wake than usual and a dull ache at the side of his skull began to nag as he shifted position slightly. Opening his eyes, he managed to focus on the black screen in front of him. He was lay on his back on the sofa, obviously having fallen asleep watching something on the movie screen.

He frowned in thought, normally if he fell asleep like that Minion would have taken him into his bedroom, knowing that he was always as cranky as hell after sleeping on the sofa. He tried to pull himself up into a sitting position but a weight on his chest stopped him. Slowly he looked down as he felt movement and saw a hand snake out from under then blanket covering him. It reached up to his shoulder before settling over his collar bone, tensing slightly every now and then.

With a trembling hand he lifted the corner of the blanket that was pulled up to his upper chest. Slowly he pulled it down revealing a mass of tousled brown hair, sleeping soundly and using his chest as a pillow. A smile spread over his face as the events of the night before came drifting back. His glum mood, setting the bomb at the museum, finding Roxanne on the observation platform, jumping _off_ of the observation platform with her in his arms, the brainbots lifting them just enough so that they landed in the fountain, hitting his head and blacking out underwater... and then waking up with her hovering above him having brought him back from the dead. His heart pounded inside his rib cage just thinking about it. About how she had insisted that Minion get him away before the police showed up, how she turned up at the lair later than night wanting to make sure he was OK, how she had clung to him and cried for him, how she had stayed with him and talked to him and how she had told him that she _cared _about him. That she would _miss_ him.

He sighed as he settled back down slowly, careful not to disturb her as he ran his hand through her hair. He smiled as he watched her snuggle closer to him, mumbling something in her sleep before sighing deeply. He placed his hand behind his head, the other resting on the small of her back having found a spot of exposed skin from where her tank top had ridden up slightly. An ache in his shoulder caused him to shift slightly again, illiciting a groan from Roxanne as she tightened her grip on him.

"Quit wriggling!" She moaned as she buried her face into his chest. Suddenly she became very still and slowly opened her eyes, her long eyelashes brushing against his skin. She focused eventually on the blue skin beneath her, so soft and blemish free that every supermodel in the world would give their best shoes to know his secret. He remained silent as she slowly lifted her head away from his chest and looked up at him. He gave her a smile that he hoped wasn't too smug and couldn't resist breaking the silence.

"Well Miss Ritchie, we meet again." He said softly as he raised one eyebrow over sleep-heavy eyes. The silence that followed seemed to stretch on forever until a giggle burst forth from Roxanne's throat and she found herself having a full-on giggle fit as she lay against the super-villain's chest. Megamind found himself chuckling along with her, not really knowing what she was laughing about but fairly sure that she wasn't laughing _at_ him.

"Good morning," She said as she finally managed to pull herself together, she rolled over so that her back was against his chest and pulled his arms around her so his hands were against her abdomen.

"Indeed." He said as she settled back against him, "sleep well?"

"Mmm-hmmm." She mumbled sleepily, "Better than I have done in quite a while actually." She found herself lacing the fingers of one hand with his while the other danced up and down his upper arm absently.

"I think Minion has gone out, I can't hear him anywhere." Megamind said after a while, "What were you doing under the blanket, anyway?"

"Well, I..." She found herself blushing furiously as his fingers flexed against her belly, somehow managing to find ever ticklish spot she had with no difficulty whatsoever, "I was having trouble falling asleep after you nodded off, they kept me awake, just staring at us." She pointed up to the ceiling where a host of brainbots were roosting, their red eyes watching them intently.

"Ah." He said as he smiled up at them, "I'm afraid they are not used to you, err... spending the night. They probably would have come closer to you if I hadn't have been here." he was about to say more when a shrill alarm filled the lair with the loudest noise Roxanne had ever heard, split seconds before a section of the ceiling caved in. Both inhabitants of the sofa jumped in shock and tumbled onto the floor, Megamind bracing himself on his elbows above Roxanne protectively. Suddenly he found himself flying quickly through the air, landing with a loud thud against a metal beam, all the air in his lungs exiting in a loud gasp.

As the protective coverage Megamind's body provided was ripped violently away from her, Roxanne found herself screaming. First in pure surprise and shock, fully expecting the roof of the lair to cave in on them, and then, when she realised exactly what was happening, her screaming turned feral. She leapt up onto her feet and ran forward across nearly the entire length of the lair, towards the man that was holding Megamind up against a metal girder by his throat, literally choking the life out of him.

"What have you done to her you _monster_!" Metroman yelled furiously into Megamind's face as the blue villain scratched fruitlessly at the hero's hand in an attempt to free himself, "_How dare you_! You have gone to far now Megamind!" There was none of the witty banter that had stretched out every single one of their previous battles, there was only anger. Pure righteous fury that practically shone through his skin.

Megamind flailed his legs uselessly, his feet falling a good few feet short of any firm purchase. His skin began to turn purple as Metroman's hand constricted around his windpipe, not only cutting off his oxygen supply but also pinching one of the main arteries that supplied his brain with blood. The only reason he wasn't unconscious already was that there were two more situated deeper within his neck, but even the blood flow in those was being effected. He looked down, trying to make sense of the situation he had so suddenly found himself in. In all the years of fighting each other, Metroman had never looked at him like this before. Megamind closed his eyes and resigned himself to the fact that he was most likely about to die.

"Stop it! _Let him go_!" Roxanne screamed as she got closer to the pair, her voice the only thing cutting through the pounding in Megamind's ears. She grabbed the first thing that she could lay her hands on, which happened to be a rather heavy piece of solid metal piping. She continued running as she dragged the piece of metal behind her by one end, the other end of it's 5 foot length dragging along the ground, sparking as it went. Using every bit of momentum she could generate, she threw her shoulder into the swing as she brought the metal bar up over her head and own on the hero's head with a solid metallic twang.

Metroman flinched in surprise and lost focus for just long enough for Megamind to land one very well placed kick against a specific nerve cluster in the hero's neck. The hand around his neck released instantly, allowing Megamind to drop to the ground, rolling away whilst taking in choking gasps of air. His lungs screamed at him, still nowhere near recovered from the drowning he sustained only hours before.

As he rolled away he became aware of another sound, one that made his blood run cold. Roxanne screamed in pure unadulterated agony as she dropped the bent metal bar as soon as it impacted Metroman's head. The shock wave that travelled down the solid piece of metal had more than likely broken her hand, and even her chest ached from the vibrations. She had collapsed onto the floor holding her arm protectively underneath her until she managed to force her mind past the pain. Staggering to her feet, she hurried to stand between Metroman and the gasping Megamind.

Metroman was madder than he had ever been in his life, he was _furious_ and the object of his fury lay cowering on the floor in front of him. Through the 'red mist' of his anger he vaguely recognised the sudden presence of an obstacle in between him and his target. With a sweep of his arm he removed the obstacle, slightly surprised to hear it scream.

Megamind felt like his heart had stopped as he watched everything play out almost in slow motion. Roxanne had launched herself up off the floor, teeth gritted against the pain, and stood in between himself and the hero, her arms flung out to the sides.

"Wayne, _stop_!" She yelled at him as they both watched the raving mad hero turn towards them. His eyes focused on Megamind as he drew his arm back before sending Roxanne flying out of his way with a casual sweep of his enormous arm.

"_NO_!" Megamind yelled as he reached out towards her in vein. Metroman's head turned in confusion to face the direction that he had sent Roxanne and blinked as he saw her trembling body clinging to Minion's robotic body, a look of shock and betrayal on both their faces.

Megamind slumped against the ground, a relieved chuckle bubbling forth from his mouth as he forced himself to stand.

"Roxie?" Metroman said, confusion clear in his voice as he blinked and stoop up straighter. Suddenly, Megamind was in front of him, his face a deep shade of angry purple with a dark bruise already beginning to form around his neck.

"What is fucking _wrong with you_?" Megamind yelled as loud as his abused throat cold handle, he battered down the urge to cough as his anger at the hero flooded through him, "You could have _killed_ her!"

"I..." Metroman looked visibly shaken, like he had just woken up from sleepwalking, "I... _Roxie_?"

Roxanne just stood there, Minion's gorilla arms wrapped around her protectively, the angry fish ready to pick her up and run should his boss give the word.

"What the hell are you doing here? What-" Megamind hunched over in a coughing fit as the pain in his throat and lungs became too much. He nearly jumped a mile when he felt Metroman's hand on his back. Megamind threw himself backwards landing with his feet apart, holding his hands up in a defensive stance.

"Look, I was just tying to help!" Metroman said as if was the most obvious answer in the world.

"_Help_? What exactly did you think you were _helping_?" Roxanne said when Megamind's reply was cut off by more coughing.

"You haven't been seen since the explosion at the Metroman Museum yesterday, _your_ handiwork obviously!" The hero sent what he had once described as the 'stare of justice' at the villain before continuing, "The police chief said that you were passing the museum when it happened and you were blown into the fountain, but refused medical treatment at the scene. I went to check on you at your apartment but you weren't there, I've been looking for you _all night_, and then I see you in _here_, with _him_, and I thought..." He trailed off at the look that Roxanne was sending him.

"You thought _what_ exactly?" She hissed through gritted teeth as she pulled away from Minion's grasp.

"I thought that he-"

"He what?" Roxanne cut him off as she marched over to the hero and stood beside the wheezing villain, her injured arm cradled against her chest, "What _exactly_ did you think he was doing to me? Hmmm?" She waited for a moment as he stared at the floor, looking every bit the reprimanded schoolboy, "_Say it_!" She shouted, her voice echoing around the Lair.

"Roxanne..." Megamind said quietly as he stood next to her. He knew exactly what the hero had thought and it disgusted him enough without hearing it out loud.

"No!" She sad sharper than she meant to as she turned to face him briefly, "I want to hear him say it. I want to hear what he is accusing you of!" She levelled her glare at the hulking man once again and Megamind could have sworn he saw his long-standing rival shrink before his eyes, "Well?"

"I thought... I thought..." Metroman struggled to get the words out, knowing now that he had been mistaken, but feeling rather put out that she was so mad at him when he was only l0oking out for her welfare, "I thought he was trying to..." He paused as he looked back up at Roxanne, she simply stood there and tapped her foot loudly on the floor, waiting, "...to _rape_ you." He finished in a quiet voice. Megamind flinched and closed his eyes as he looked away from the hero in disgust. Roxanne simply deepened her glare and raised one eyebrow at the hero, wishing she could fold both her arms across her chest, but the pain in her injured hand, elbow and shoulder was threatening to take over as it was.

"I'm... I'm sorry, I-" Metroman started an apology but was cut off abruptly.

"I'm evil, you muscle-bound moron, not a _monster_!" Megamind said as he frowned at his rival, "I have never been so insulted in all my life and believe me, that is saying something!"

"Look, I said I'm sorry!"

"Don't you go getting all defensive! You blast in here, do a damn good job of nearly killing Roxanne, never mind me, and you think 'sorry' is good enough? You know the rules, _Hero_!" He pointed one long finger at Metroman as he stepped forward slightly, wanting to get between Metroman and Roxanne. Roxanne blushed as she noticed that he was still naked from the waist up, reminding her of the image that must have prompted Metroman's rage.

"Look, I was worried! I thought you might have collapsed somewhere! Why didn't you go to the hospital, Roxie? That blast must have been really strong to throw you into the fountain like that! And why would you blow up the Museum like that? Did you intend for Roxanne to be there?" Metroman stood a little straighter as he remembered exactly why he had been looking for her in the first place.

"What? You think I'd blow up a building with her there without calling _you_ out first? What would be the point in that?" Megamind said, skirting around the issue of exactly where Roxanne had been during the explosion, "And don't try to change the subject! This is not part of the game!" Roxanne knew he was speaking figuratively, he had refereed to their rivalry as a 'game' multiple times in the past but it had never really had the same connotations before. He was saying that Metroman had broken the rules.

"I..." Metroman looked around, seeming to only just be realising exactly where he was, "Oh."

"Yeah, 'Oh'!" Megamind crossed his arms over his chest as he glared furiously at the hero, his mind already making the necessary plans, always one step ahead.

"Errm... oh _man_!"

"Look, boys," Roxanne said as she closed her eyes, wanting to pinch the bridge of her nose but with her injured arm cradled against her chest, she was forced to make do with just closing her eyes. The pain was getting worse and her wrist was swelling quickly. "I have no idea what is going on here, my hand is killing me, my head hurts and in case you didn't notice, _Bub_, I very nearly got blown up yesterday and you were _not_ there! You have _no right_ to be angry! I_ know_ how your powers work, remember? I know your not psychic and you can't see into the future but you definitely would have been able to hear and see that explosion as soon as it happened, _lord knows_ it was big enough!" Megamind smirked despite himself and cast a glance at Roxanne. She shot a look back at him saying that this was no time to be taking things as compliments.

"So where_ were_ you? Hmmm? Your little_ hideout_ isn't that far out of the city!" Roxanne frowned as Metroman winced at the mention of his hideout. She had known the location of the old schoolhouse for years but she had promised never to reveal it's location even under torture.

"Well, I was... out of town." Metroman said as he rubbed self consciously at the back of his neck. He looked from Megamind to Roxanne as both of them simply stood there, stunned expressions frozen on their faces.

"Come again?" Roxanne snapped as if he had just told her he had been doing handstands while wearing lady's underwear.

"Things were too _quiet_ so I went out of town for a bit." He shrugged, not really seeing why it was such a big deal, "You had been so quiet over the past few weeks and noting ever happens here unless you cause it so... I went to a music con."

"'cos-a-wha?" Megamind said incoherently, his mind telling his mouth to say three different things all at the same time, "I'm not simply here for your amusement you know!"

Despite Megamind's snarl of annoyance, the tension and threat of impending violence had vanished from the room leaving Roxanne with a rather big problem. Adrenalin had masked the pain in her arm but as tempers cooled and everyone else calmed down, her adrenalin began to work out of her system leaving her brain with enough time to realise that there was a rather excruciating pain emanating from the tips of her fingers and spreading all the way up her arm and into her chest. She was becoming aware of a tightness in her chest as she took in a deep breath and hoped that the colour wasn't draining out of her face.

"You know what? I don't care! I don't even _care_ why you came busting in here, into the exact place that you are not supposed to _ever be_!" Megamind said as he threw his arms out in a grand gesture, "But as I can obviously do nothing about it right now I think you should should just leave." After a moments thought he added, "And don't come back!"

Megamind folded his arms across his chest and tilted his chin into the air as he turned his back on the hero. Roxanne looked at him in shock, genuinely surprised that he was simply letting his long standing rival leave without any repercussions at all, not even the threat of a memory-erasing gun. Metroman nodded before turning away to head in the direction of the hole he had made in the roof.

"OK, come on Roxie." He held out his hand, summoning her to him so that he could pick her up and fly her home. When Roxanne just looked at him without moving he stepped towards her, "Come on Roxie, I'll take you home."

"No." She said sharply as she took a step backwards, "I'm fine right where I am thank you."

"_C'mon_ Roxie, playtime is over." His voice was filled with that condescending tone he used when talking to people who he knew would bend over backwards to perform any task he asked of them. As if they were too stupid to make up their own minds about anything and lived only to serve. She blamed his parents for that, modern society had no place for people who believed that maids and butlers should kiss the ground they walked on and should never be seen or heard unless they were wanted for something.

"Don't you _dare_ talk to me like that, Wayne Scott!" She hissed at him, using his given name to remind him that she intended to treat him just like everybody else, "I'm not one of your simpering little groupies and I _refuse_ to be treated like some weak willed floozy who should be swooning at your every word! I didn't need rescuing when you broke in here and I damn well don't need rescuing now so if you don't mind!" She pointed towards the hole in the ceiling, her face clearly stating without words that she was done arguing and her word was final.

"Well, if you're sure..." Metroman's shoulders slumped slightly before his face contorted in frustration and he blasted out of the room with such force that more of the roof fell to the floor of the lair loudly. No sooner had he dashed out of sight did Roxanne crumple to the ground with an agonised wail. She had used her injured right arm to point in the direction of the new addition to the lair's roof and had barley been able to keep from collapsing there and then with the intense pain that shot up her arm.

"Roxanne!" she could hear Megamind whispering her name as his hands suddenly appeared on her back, gently feeling over her shoulder and down her arm as far as she would allow.

"I think my hand is broken," She said through gritted teeth as she curled over, her forehead against the cold floor and her injured arm held protectively against her chest, "and there is pain all the way up may arm!" her voice hitched as tears spilled from her eyes. She cursed herself for crying so much in one day, it had been such a long time since she had last cried yet today she seemed unable to stop.

"Minion, get the car!" Megamind said sharply as he leaned over her, unsure of how best to help her, "I'll take you to hospital." Roxanne nodded at him as he managed to coax her out of the foetal position she had taken on and pulled her back against his chest.

"Can you stand?" He asked quietly against the top of her head, feeling her nod underneath him. Slowly he helped her stand and walked with her towards the car, smiling in relief as it's engine roared into life first time. He opened the door to the rear seats and helped her in before running around the back of the car and leaping into the back seat beside her. As soon as the door shut the car surged forwards, Minion not having to wait for a command.


	9. Heal the Pain

_Ok, the hospital scene. I would like to point out that my knowlege of what it is like to be a patient in an American hospital is limited to what I have learned from ER, Grey's anatomy and House. I would like to thank Karen B. Jones for reminding me that throwing in a thousand tiny details is not what makes a decent story. I was getting caught up on things that had no impact whatsoever but that's over now._

_On with the story. and as always, I love getting reviews and you guys are fantastic reviewers! I have also now turned on the anonymous review option so for those of you who have been unable to review, now is your chance._

_(This chapter jumps about in time a bit. so a ... between paragraphs indicates change of perspective or scene, a ... depicts a longer passage of time.)  
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><p>She stood in the ER waiting room, her head handing down and her arm cradled against her chest. The excruciating pain had subsided, leaving a dull ache that was deceptively bearable, until she moved even just a little bit. The car ride had been quiet, only the sound of her own breathing, heavy from the pain, had broken the silence. She was leaning her good shoulder against Megamind's chest with one of his arms around her hip, supporting her as Minion drove as quickly and as carefully as he could manage. Minion had parked the car in a quiet side street just over a block away from the hospital before turning to send a poignant look at his boss and gestured to an apparently empty glove compartment in the centre console of the car.<p>

Megamind had nodded before turning to face the woman sitting beside him. He had suggested that she go in alone, his presence would only cause a panic. He smirked a moment later and indicated to his current state of dress, naked to the waist, causing a blush to spread up her neck. He had smiled as he asked her if she would be OK and she simply nodded, putting on her poker face before watching him lean over her, his shoulder brushing up against her, as he opened the door for her from the inside.

Now, she was watching the other occupants of the waiting room through her bangs, trying to spot anyone who may be showing more that a cursory interest in her. Over the years, as her 'celebrity' status grew thanks to her part in the rivalry of the city's resident hero and villain, she had become all too aware of the type of people who were likely to cause her some trouble. As technology became more advanced and camera phones grew in their popularity, she knew all to well that even a 10 year old could be a threat to her privacy.

The room was, naturally, full of sick people, all looking like they were trying to sink into whatever wall they were leaning against or trying desperately to find that elusive comfy position in the harsh plastic chairs. Whispered conversations drifted in and out of range as she noticed one man sitting in the far corner scribing notes furiously onto a piece of paper at the same time as muttering into a Dictaphone. From the looks of him he was neither injured nor sick and for some reason, Roxanne would have put money on the fact that he was not here for a friend or loved one.

She heaved a heavy sigh as she turned her face away and focused all of her attention onto er peripheral vision. Sure enough as soon as she looked away the man's eyes rose, studying her form intently as he continued to make his notes. Just to test her theory she shifted around the wall she was leaning against, moving innocently so that his view of her was obstructed. After a few moments she glanced around the room again noting with some amusement that the man had switched seats so he could see her once again. She contemplated going over to him to offer him a few choice words when a nurse marched into the waiting room gaining everyone's attention.

"Roxanne Ritchie?" The nurse said loudly as the rest of the rooms occupants turned away once again. Roxanne smirked as she pushed away from the wall, turning back towards the other end of the room.

"Oh and Sir? Yeah, you with the note pad." She yelled, watching with satisfaction as the man paused in his note-taking and looked up at her, "It's '_Roxanne_'! Two 'n's and one 'e'! Got it? Good." With that she turned and followed he nurse back to the cubicles, preparing herself for a very long night.

…

"Sir, shouldn't we be heading back to the Lair?" Minion asked as he at in the car, waiting for Megamind to give him another order. It had been over an hour since Roxanne had left the car and gone to the hospital yet they remained parked in the same place. He had started to pull away as soon as Roxanne was out of sight but Megamind had stopped him, telling him to wait.

"_Hush, Minion_!" Megamind snapped as he cupped his hand over his ear, "they just called her name."

"Sir!" Minion span around in his dome and send a shocked look at his boss, "you _bugged_ her?"

"_Shut up_ Minion!" Megamind hissed as he focused on the faint sound coming from the ear piece he had pressed into his ear.

When she had been leaning against him in the car he had placed the small electronic bug in her hair. While it was one of the more basic devices, only transmitting sound for about half-a-mile, it was very small and very thin and he was confident that neither she nor the hospital staff would find it. He didn't feel particularly good about the deception but he needed to know what was going on and he simply couldn't go in there with her in person. He cursed himself, and minion, for not having a disguise generator watch stashed in the car and made a mental note to build a couple to keep in there in case of emergencies.

He closed his eyes in concentration as he could hear a doctor confirming Roxanne's details.

…

"OK Miss Ritchie, so what seems to be the problem?" The doctor in front of her was quite literally a walking cliché. A pale white man in a white lab coat complete with pocket protector, stethoscope around his neck, friendly yet detached expression and bags under his eyes from lack of sleep.

"Errm..." Roxanne said, suddenly feeling a bit silly and self-conscious, "my arm kinda hurts."

"OK, lets take a look shall we?" Dr Hagen said as he produced a pair of spectacles from his coat pocket. Placing them on his nose he leaned in for a closer look at the offending arm as if the diagnosis would be written on her skin. She cast a dubious look at the nurse who stood behind him, only receiving a shrug in response.

"Hmmm..." The doctor said as he reached out and took hold of her arm. She winced in pain as he extended it out in front of her, watching her reaction carefully. He let go after she bit back a yelp of pain when he tried to rotate her wrist. He turned to the nurse and rattled off a list of instruction that Roxanne could hardly follow before he left suddenly, the curtain swishing in his wake.

Roxanne cradled her arm against her, glaring at the doctors retreating back as he disappeared round a partition. The nurse smiled sympathetically as she prepared the needles and implements she needed.

"I thought doctors were supposed to have a good bedside manner?" She grumbled as she lay back against the bed.

"You'd be surprised. The way I hear it it is a pretty cut-throat business, if you pardon the pun." She laughed lightly, "it's us nurses that have the people skills! Sometimes I think the Doc's have their heads stuffed so full of science that they forget how to actually talk to people!"

"Feh!" Roxanne snorted, a smirk forming on her lips, "I know what you mean!"

"Now, Miss Ritchie," The nurse said as she picked up a clip board, "it would help if you could tell us what happened to cause these injuries."

Roxanne went pale as she tried to think of something to tell her. She wanted to tell the truth, that she had broken her wrist when she brained Metroman with a solid metal rod and that he injured her chest by shoving her carelessly out of the way. She rolled her eyes to herself as she imagined what people would say to that. The first thing would be '_Is Megamind forcing you to say these things?_' and then they would move onto thoughts of mind-controll rays which would lead them inevitably on to an amateur diagnosis of Stockholm Syndrome. Thoughts of Megamind and the way he had been treating her recently flowed through her mind. The way he had held onto her as they flew over the city on his hover bike, the way he had kissed her that night in her apartment, the way he had saved her life, nearly loosing his own in the process during the museum explosion. She looked up at that thought, trying to remember what she had told the police. It had only really been a few hours ago yet is seemed like a lifetime had passed.

"I-I fell," She stammered, trying to remember exactly what she had said in her statement, "last night, when the museum was bombed, I was walking past and the explosion threw me into the fountain. I must have banged my arm then."

"Did it start hurting immediately?" The nurse asked with a raised eyebrow, Roxanne refusing to meet her eyes.

"Errm, no... no it was some time this morning that it started to hurt. I guess it must have been the shock." Roxanne said with an unconscious shrug which was quickly followed by a wince of pain. The nurse made far too many notes on the form before nodding and asking if there was anyone that Roxanne wanted them to contact. She shook her head and turned away as the nurse went about taking some blood samples for apparently routine tests.

She didn't like blaming her injuries on the explosion. She knew all too well that the news of her injuries would make the late breaking news, if not the headlines, and that the public would inevitably blame them on Megamind. She herself had in the past been quick to blame Megamind for one thing or another that had happened to the city with little or no explanation.

"OK, that's all of them!" The nurse said happily as she labelled up the vials of blood, "you will be taken up to have some x-rays done shortly, just sit tight, yeah? We just need you to slip into this gown before we take you up to radiology, OK?" With that the nurse left, closing the curtains behind her.

Roxanne heaved an unhappy sigh, every ounce of energy having been drained by the events of the past few days. Her mind was clouded by conflicting thoughts and emotions to the extent that she wasn't even sure of herself any more. She had willingly gone to Megamind the night before because she was concerned for his welfare! Maybe it _was_ Stockholm Syndrome. Everyone said that people who were truly insane spent their lives unaware of that very fact. Maybe this was simply her version of it. She got changed in a daze and placed her belongings into a plastic bag hanging on the side of the bed. She was still lost deep within her thoughts when a porter appeared saying he was taking her up to radiology.

…

"Damn it!" Megamind cursed as he ripped the earpiece out of his ear, throwing it against the inside of the car, "She isn't wearing the bug any more, or it's out of range!"

"Well then, maybe we should head home Sir." Minion said as he turned the car on, he watched the hesitation on his bosses face and smiled reassuringly, "We can pick up a couple of the watches, not to mention a change of clothes for you Sir, then we could come back and see if she is OK. After all, Sir, we need to know more about her expected recovery time in order to plan your next evil scheme."

"Quick Minion! Back to the lair!" Megamind said as his face brightened quickly, "We shall return when we are better equipped to infiltrate this medical facility!"

"Good idea Sir!" Minion smiled to himself as he pulled sharply out of the side street, glad that his boss was getting back to his usual self.

…...

57 white tiles, 3 sporting brown stains that were both disguising and fascinating at the same time, made up the ceiling to the side room she had been moved into. There were 27 vertical slats to the blinds on the window and the small reinforced window in the door to the room had 197 lines of wire running through it.

It had been 4 hours since she had left radiology. They had taken her to an observation ward but soon found that neither her nor the nursing staff were going to get any peace while she was on the open ward. Patient after patient begged to be allowed out of their beds in order to request an autograph from the famous TV personality to such an extent that the nurses were tempted to ignore the persistent call buzzers.

The side room they had moved her into had a window that looked out over a courtyard garden but only gave her a limited view of the sky. She had discovered with vague interest that someone at some point had jimmied open the safety catches, allowing the full size window to swing open to it's fullest extent. Not that there was any way of getting down to the ground 3 floors below.

Roxanne contented herself with sitting in the visitor chair, which she had pulled with some degree of effort over to the window, and looked up at the small square of sky the view allowed. The day had turned out bright and sunny with a few fluffy white clouds drifting across the city lazily. She smiled to herself despite her abject boredom as she allowed her mind to spot shapes in the clouds, something she hadn't done since she was a kid visiting the city park with her mother. She was snapped out of her thoughts when the door opened and yet another fresh-faced young doctor came in holding a clip board and a large brown envelope.

"Sorry about the wait Miss Ritchie." He said as he flipped a switch on the wall. The light box flickered into life as he clipped on a set of x-rays and examined them closely, "oooookay... Well Miss Ritchie, do you want the good news or the bad news?" He said with a smile as he watched her sit back up on the bed.

"The bad news." She said quickly as she tried prevent the smile that tugged on her lips. This guy was the first doctor she had come across that had even a hint of a personality let alone a sense of humour.

"Bad news is you're going to need surgery." He said seriously, pointing at a specific part of her x-ray, "You are now the proud owner of a broken metacarpal, two shattered carpal bones, a clean break to the radius head at the wrist, a fractured clavicle and two fractured ribs. You, Miss Ritchie, are one very lucky woman."

"So, what's the _good_ news?" Roxanne said as she sat back against the bed, she looked down at her hand, not really understanding how so much damage could have occurred when her hand was only really aching.

"Well, those broken ribs could have easily punctured your lung if they had been much worse. And, well, I'm pretty sure you get to keep your arm." The doctor said with a smile, his eyes twinkling under his dark eyebrows. "we do have some of the best surgeons in the country on the team, but... you know." He shrugged as he picked up his clip board and went to sit in a chair by the bed, "Now, I'm going to explain the operation to you, OK, and then the nurses will come in to get you prepared."

Roxanne nodded and did her best to focus on what the doctor was saying. He went through the process very clearly, pointing out on a diagram where they would have to attach pins to her wrist to keep the bones in place. The hardest to fix would be the shattered small bones in her wrist, some of he pieces would simply have to be removed. The broken ribs and collar bone would heal eventually on their own providing they didn't break further and the inflammation around the injuries would heal over time. Roxanne nodded when the doctor told her she was going to have to be in a cast for a number of weeks to allow her arm time to heal.

As the implications of this sank in, the doctor left, leaving Roxanne alone with her thoughts once more. The doctor was right about one thing. She was very, _very_ lucky. Metroman had only shoved her out of the way, if he had used even a little more power, or had seen her as anything more than a minor irritation, then things may have been very different. She made a mental note to send him the bill for her medical expenses.

...

She could hear voices wafting in and out of focus, like someone was playing with the volume control on a radio. Her entire body felt heavy, like she was sinking into the mattress and she got the feeling that it was ignoring everything she told it to do. She could feel everything, she knew instinctively that she was in a bed, crisp sheets tucked in around her, yet she couldn't move her arms or legs. She took a deep breath, her mind seemingly unable to panic despite her situation so instead she focused on the sounds around her.

"Hey, you still with us?" A voice said as she felt something, or someone, grasp her hand gently. She forced her eyes to open but she couldn't focus on anything, just a bright white light.

"Oh thank goodness! You're awake! I thought I'd lost you!" The voice said again. Her mind reeled, trying to figure out what had happened.

"Wha..." She tried to speak but her throat was dry and raw, her voice croaky, "what happened?" She finally managed to ask, the hand holding onto hers tightened and a blurry figure came into view above her.

"You had surgery on you arm," The voice said softly, she knew that she knew who it was but for some reason her brain would not connect the dots. Instead she tried to focus on what had happened to her. Through the fog came the image of a hospital, with a doctor telling her that her arm was broken and needed surgery.

"Why didn't you tell me it was this bad? I knew he had hurt you but-but _this_!" The voice said, relief mixing with anger. Roxanne closed her eyes and tried to focus on the voice, tried to make sense of hat the person was saying. She had been with Megamind when she had been injured but it wasn't him that had hurt her, he had brought her to the hospital. She tried to tighten her hand on his and was relieved to feel his squeeze hers back in confirmation.

"Meg-uh," She said, coughing slightly and trying to swallow the meagre amount of saliva that had built up in her mouth to lubricate her sore throat, "Megamind..." She tried to smile as she felt his hand tighten and she hoped the expression made it to her face, "Megamind, I-"

"It's OK, Roxie." The voice said firmly, cutting through the fog in her mind. That one word struck a cord and forced her to come to the surface of consciousness, "He can't hurt you here."

"Wha-" Roxanne said as she blinked furiously, trying to get her eyes to work properly. She peered up at the blurry figure in front of her, his silhouette seeming to grow and expand as his form came into focus. A swell of disappointment filled her as the face of the city's hero came into view, a serious look on his face.

"I am _so sorry_ Roxie! I should never have left you there with _him_!" He was saying as he leaned over her, her hand still held tightly in his, "I swear, as soon as I know you are OK I'm gonna haul him back to jail and make _sure_ he stays there! Even if I have to sit outside his cell all the time!"

Roxanne's eyes began to focus more as he continued his heroic monologue, the pieces of the puzzle joining together. Her memories flooded back to her, everything that had led up to her current situation. She wanted to shout at him. To yell that it wasn't Megamind that had hurt her, that it was he himself that had done it and he didn't even realise it! Her body betrayed her by refusing to respond in the correct way so she simply lay there, trying to force her body to work. As she looked away from the hero who was busy declaring his intention to stop at no lengths to protect her, a doctor was busy looking over a set of x-rays on the light box on the wall opposite the bed, they had obviously been taken after the operation as the metal pins were glaringly obvious even to her foggy vision.

"She_ is _going to be OK, isn't she Doc?" Wayne asked suddenly as he looked up at the doctor. The man didn't turn around, simply nodded and muttered a confirmation which appeared to be enough for the hero who went back to rambling on to Roxanne, seemingly unaware of the fact that she wasn't listening in the slightest.

There was something about the doctor that was holding her attention. He was distinctly average in size with a completely bald head sitting atop a long neck. The collar on his lab coat was pulled up against the back of his neck which made him look a little shorter than he probably was. His hand reached up to the x-rays on the light box, tracing the lines of the broken bones in her arm, now held together with metal pins. He seemed to nod absently, apparently pleased with the level of work that had been done. His spine stiffened after something that Wayne said and he turned slightly to look at her, his eyes widening in shock when he found that she was staring at him.

She smiled slightly at him and nodded, the slight quickening of her pulse made glaringly obvious by the ECG machine beeping incessantly at her shoulder. She held his gaze for what seemed like an eternity until his expression softened into one of relief before a question asked by Wayne had him breaking eye contact. His luminous green eyes, a colour impossible in the eyes of any other being on the planet, snapped up the the hero as a badly hidden glare found it's way to his face.

"I'm sorry friend, I guess you mustn't have heard me." Wayne said, that smile that was unmistakably his plastered on his face, "I was wondering if, now that Miss Ritchie is awake, should you be performing some of your medical tests to ascertain her level of health and recovery?"

The 'doctor' nodded, his eyes darting from his oblivious rival back to Roxanne as he walked around her bed towards the door. As Wayne turned his attention back to the woman in the bed, the doctor looked over his shoulder, making eye contact with her once again. He smiled at her and nodded, pleased with her progress. She smiled back and hoped to god that she didn't blush when he smirked and winked at her devilishly before exiting the room. A few moments later a new doctor entered the room and began to check her over, insisting that Wayne leave the room during the examination. Roxanne could only hope that Megamind had made it out off the ward before anyone could take too close a look at him.

"Why is he..." Roxanne croaked before the pain in her throat became too much for her to bear. The nurse passed her an ice chip to suck on to sooth her dry mouth and throat as she noted down the woman's vital signs.

"We figured you would want people to know about what had happened to you so one of us called the Mayor to inform him. He called Metroman and he got here right when you came out of theatre." The nurse said with a smile, "He says that that _monster_ is going to really pay for hurting you this time! Honestly, what did he have to gain by blowing up the museum like that! I'm sure he must have known you were there! You are lucky to be alive!"

"You have no idea." Roxanne muttered as she turned her face away from the nurse, watching this new doctor looking over her x-rays.

…

Megamind stormed out of the ward, his fists clenched at his sides, trembling with the effort of simply putting one foot in front of the other. He had been sitting by her bedside for the longest time, ever since she was brought out of theatre and back onto the ward. His heart had nearly jumped out of his chest when the proximity alarm on his watch suddenly beeped, announcing with only a few seconds grace that Metroman was yet again approaching. He only had time to spin out of the chair and pretend to look over the heart monitor when the hero had burst into the room, a look of panic on his face.

The hero had swiftly moved to the woman's bedside, snatching up her good hand in his. One of her arms was curved over her chest, supported away from her body slightly by some strapping suspended from a metal contraption. Megamind forced himself to focus on the steady beat of her heart on the monitor, noting with a smile that it didn't even flutter when the hero had come in.

Noticing her x-rays up on the light box, the villain moved over to examine them, trying to block out the hero's self-righteous declarations of devotion and protection. Not to mention his promise to 'make Megamind pay for what he has done'. It took every ounce of his self control not to turn around and yell at the idiot that Roxanne's current state of health was entirely his own fault and no one else's.

His spine stiffened as the hero asked him a question and thankfully the man seemed to be satisfied by a vague confirmation of the woman's recovery. Indeed, the work shown on the x-rays did seem to be of a satisfactory standard and would, in time, heal the broken bones perfectly. The work that had been done on her wrist was intricate and precise, many pieces of shattered bone having been removed. Megamind absently stroked his goatee as he focused on that part of the x-ray. Her wrist would be giving her trouble for a very long time, she may even feel some minor effects of the injury for the rest of her life.

A shiver shot up his spine as something that Wayne said hit home and he turned around to shoot a glare at the hulking man but stopped short when he was met with a pair of sleep-clouded blue eyes. She was staring right into him, as if she could see everything he was trying to hide. The moment stretched on forever as he simply stared back at her, a change in the tempo of the incessant beeping of the ECG machine the only thing that managed to break through to him, and when her eyes had followed him across the room as he went to leave, he shot her a dazzling smirk and winked evilly. The look that crossed her face was well worth the risk of being spotted by the oblivious hero who was still busily gushing emotionally at her. The buzz had faded as soon as he left the room, leaving him with little more than anger at what Metroman had done and what he seemed to be completely unaware of. He tried to calm himself down as he marched through the hospital corridors on his way to the roof.

...

Roxanne sat up in the hospital bed, flicking through the meagre channel choice on the room's TV. She was trying to find something, anything that wasn't the news, that would simply give her mind something to focus on. With a sigh, she eventually settled on a shopping channel and resigned herself to learning all about the modern day miracle effects of a home gym system. It had been two days since she had woken up in hospital with Wayne clinging onto her good arm. Eventually the nurses had got him to leave and she had used what little strength she could gather to make it abundantly clear to them that she wanted no more visitors, not even the city's hero. They had thought she was joking until she threatened them with a lawsuit for breaching patient confidentiality when she hadn't given permission for them to contact anyone about her condition.

Her arm was in a plaster cast from her hand to her elbow, her shoulder was strapped up and she had bandages wrapped firmly around her chest. The parts of her upper body that were still exposed had gone various sickening shades of green and purple as the bruising to her skin and muscles developed. She glanced up ruefully at the drip bag suspended from the pole by the side of the bed. The painkillers were doing a good job of numbing the pain but still, even breathing hurt. Her arm wasn't giving her much trouble but she tried not to think about it, knowing from stories her friends had told her of unbearable itchiness day and night.

She flicked the channel over again and paused, glaring at the picture. Metroman was standing in front of the remains of the museum, his costume pristine and his smile dazzling, as per usual. It had been the breaking news banner below the posing hero that had gotten her attention and she shifted to her knees, moving to the end of the bed, closer to the TV.

_"Once again, Metro City is indebted to our hero, Metroman, for once again foiling the dastardly plots of the evil Megamind,"_ Roxanne rolled her eyes at the sound of the reporter's voice. She knew the woman who was now undoubtedly batting her eyelashes at the smug hero. She was blond and sickeningly skinny with a tiny waist that disappeared into an almost non existent butt that she had no doubt covered with the smallest, thinnest scrap of material the network would allow. She was the only person in the whole of metro city that seemed capable of diverting Hal's attention away from Roxanne and for some reason she just couldn't bring herself to feel sorry for the girl.

_"I'm simply doing my duty to the city,"_ Metroman said, his smile all but glinting in the afternoon sunlight, _"I'm simply sorry that I couldn't prevent this dastardly plot from taking place in the first place. It was fortunate that the explosion went off in the middle of the night so only one person was seriously injured, but that is one person too many for my liking."_ The look of superiority was only matched in magnitude by the look of disdain Roxanne levelled at his image.

"Oh you have _no idea_ you great stupid muscle-head!" Roxanne muttered, her voice croaky and sore, "There _was_ someone hurt in the explosion you idiot but it wasn't me!"

_"Indeed, we have heard of the tragedy that has struck our very own reporter, Roxanne Ritchie. Our sources say you have been keeping a vigil by her hospital bed, what can you tell us of her recovery?"_

_"She is putting on a brave face but I know she is deeply cut up by the whole event. There is no doubt that the bombing was intended for her. She has had surgery to correct the damage caused and now I'm pleased to say she and the rest of the city are safe from evil once again!"_ Roxanne frowned first in confusion then in shock and finally in anger as she watched the footage switch to a VT of the outside of Metro City prison. Metroman landed centre stage with Megamind dangling from a rope tied tightly around his waist.

He looked_ pissed_. More so than she had ever seen him before. As the camera crew ran towards the pair the audio was muted out as Megamind undoubtedly let out a stream of language that by rights should have turned the air as blue as his skin, all of them aimed directly at the grinning Metroman who was standing over the incapacitated alien smugly.

_"Metroman! Metroman! Have you arrested Megamind for destroying your museum?"_ Someone yelled from behind the camera. Metroman hauled Megamind up to his feet and pushed him in the direction of the approaching prison guards before turning to face the camera.

_"Megamind is a criminal who deserves to be behind bars. I captured him following his devastating attack on the Metroman Museum during which he intentionally caused great bodily harm to Miss Roxanne Ritchie."_ The hero was interrupted by a very loud and very angry swear word. The camera span around to see Megamind straining against the prison guard, his face full of fury aimed at the hero.

_"You have got to be the biggest, most idiotic, completely incompetent beep excuse for a muscle-bound hero this blasted rock has ever seen!"_ It was clear he wanted to continue but the prison guards managed to drag him inside the prison building, cutting off his rant in mid flow.

Roxanne turned off the TV and threw the remote angrily against the soft chair beside the bed before crawling in a very undignified manner back to the top of the bed, pressing the call button furiously. A few moments later a nurse entered the room, a calm smile on her face.

"Can I help you Miss Ritchie?" She said as she moved around the bed to make note of Roxanne's progress, seemingly oblivious to the mental state the woman had worked herself up into.

"Yes, you can get me whatever damn form I need to sign to get out of here!" Roxanne said, her tone harsher than she had meant it to be. The nurse looked up at her sharply, the smile fading from her face.

"I don't really think that is a good idea Miss Ritchie. It had only been two days since your operation. We need to monitor your-"

"I don't _care_ what you need to monitor! I want to go home. I will come in as an out-patient if you insist on it but either way I am going to walk out of here today weather I sign those forms or not, now either you bring me the forms or I simply leave. You can't stop me!" Roxanne punctuated her rant by pulling the drip from her arm with her teeth, holding the wound against her gown to stop the bleeding. She yanked the plastic bag containing her belongings from the bedside cupboard and dumped them out onto the bed before glaring at the nurse, daring her to stay while she got changed.

"I'll go get the doctor." The nurse stammered as she hurried out of the room.

"Just make sure he brings the _damn forms_!" Roxanne yelled after her as she hurried down the corridor.

After the doctor had been and concluded that Roxanne was mentally fit enough to discharge herself, he allowed her to sign the forms under the strict instruction that she was to continue taking her pain medication and antibiotics and was to report for outpatient appointments and check ups once a week. Slipping her feet into her high heels, she strutted confidently down the busy corridors, her arm supported by a speciality sling that kept the weight of her arm off her neck and shoulder. She made it out to the car park before realising that she had no form of transportation and she had spent all her money on the out-of-hours taxi ride to old-town the night of the explosion.

With an angry sigh she began the long walk back to her apartment, the adrenalin fuelled anger keeping her pace brisk and her expression stony. The few people who noticed her on the streets either pretended not to or simply watched her go by in silence.

Roxanne's temper was beginning to dissolve into tired frustration when the first big drops of a heavy downpour hit her head. With a grumbling sigh she turned down a narrow side street, a short-cut she normally took in the van when she was able to take it home with her, but was brought up short by the sound of a car approaching from behind her. She turned to look and began to step off to the side to allow the car to pass but stopped when she saw there was nothing behind her. The hairs on the back of her nick prickled as the noise grew louder until it settled beside her. A sudden bust of light and form appearing in mid air shocked her into stumbling backwards against a dumpster.

"Miss Ritchie! Are you OK? Why are you out of the hospital?" A kind and very concerned voice asked as she regained her footing. When she looked up she was confronted by Minion's customary concerned smile.

"Minion?" Roxanne gasped as she winced when her shoulder complained about the rough treatment, "What are you...?"

"Sir instructed some of the brainbots to monitor your stay in the hospital. They alerted me to your early discharge and so I came to see if you were OK. You shouldn't be out of hospital, you have not yet fully recovered!" He pushed open the passenger door and motioned for her to get inside which she did with no protest what-so-ever.

"I saw the news Minion, I just couldn't stay in there knowing what people are saying. Besides I need to have a very long _chat_ with Wayne about getting his facts straight before going around pointing fingers!"

"You shouldn't be out here on your own though, you'll catch your death out in the rain like this!" Minion sighed to himself in a way that made Roxanne believe he had had this very discussion with Megamind on more than one occasion, "I'll take you home, I cant let you wander around out here on your own like that. Besides, you look like you haven't eaten properly in days, you will need help with cooking while your arm is like that!"

With a nod of his head, Minion drove towards Roxanne's apartment, seemingly having made his mind up to help her out. Roxanne settled back into the comfy seat and wondered exactly when she had become so comfortable with all of this. She had got to know minion quite well over the years and she knew beyond a doubt that the fish didn't have an evil bone in his body. All he wanted to do was make his friend happy and for some reason he had decided to extend this consideration to her as well. Roxanne decided that she had little choice but to accept his help for the time being, especially as he stomach had started to grumble loudly at the very mention of actual cooking.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Ok, I do not like this chapter but hey, it is out of the way now. next time there will be more character interaction and...stuff._

_Next chapter: Wayne gets a serious ear bashing, Minion does some babysitting, Roxanne breaks a few laws and Megamind gets an offer he can't refuse._


	10. Reality Check

The sudden and uncaring banging against the door to his room startled him out of his sleep. He was pleased to find that his unconscious habit of only sleeping in the revolving chair when it was facing away from the door had stuck with him. It meant that whoever was trying to gain his attention was unable to see the undignified start he had produced. After straightening himself, he span the chair around slowly, one leg cocked over the other, elbows resting on the arms of the chair and his fingers laced together in front of his smirking face.

"Why good morning Warden." Megamind said sweetly as he boldly met the ageing man's ice blue eyes, "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Can it, Megamind!" The Prison Warden said, his moustache twitching in annoyance already, "I would have thought you'd have learned by now that these games you play only ever bring you back here!"

"Oh Warden, I had _no_ idea you cared about me so much!" Megamind said, his face taking on a look of innocence that shocked even himself.

"Oh I don't! But you have a habit of messing up my books, you do have 88 life sentences to serve out you know, it would be better for everyone if you just settled into it and stopped causing trouble for yourself!"

"But where would be the fun in that?" Megamind said smoothly as he settled back into his chair. He absently gazed around the room, taking in the sickeningly cute woodland creatures painted all over the walls. His mind began to wander back to the time before this room had become his own personal corner of the world but he was brought back to reality by a further comment from the Warden.

"What? I didn't catch that." Megamind said as he raised an eyebrow, a seriously bored expression on his face.

"I _said_ you have a visitation request." The older man huffed as his eyes slipped from the prisoner's, "Someone apparently has nothing better to do than come and talk to your useless butt! Though it is against my better judgement, you are a prisoner of this facility and as such you are _entitled_ to a visit." The warden turned away from the window before looking back over his shoulder, "Don't get used to it!"

With that he walked away from the window, leaving Megamind in a stunned silence. A few minutes later the door slid open and three prison guards entered the room, holding out the familiar manacles and chains. Megamind's curiosity got the better of him and he held out his hands in acceptance, a lazy smirk on his face that only served to unnerve the guards surrounding him. After he had been secured and properly restrained, the guards yanked him to his feet and proceeded to escort him through the prison. The route to the room they would be holding the visit in took them through various wings of the prison, including his old cell block. As he was walked past the cells full of prisoners he smiled and winked at the various convicts he knew from his younger years. A lot of his uncles had been released for time served and good behaviour but a few of the tougher nuts remained, calling out to their prodigy with cheers of encouragement.

The room they were using was one of the interrogation rooms. Megamind was very familiar with it's set up and cast a quick but knowing glance at the mirrored glass on one side of the room. That was the reason the room had been chosen, they were planning on observing his visit, his curiosity peaked as he sat down, watching passively as the guards unshackled his arms and instead chained his feet to a hook set into the concrete floor. The guards left the room, shutting the heavy metal door behind them. He noted with a raised eyebrow that there was no handle on the inside of the door, obviously the reason they felt safe enough to leave him in there alone. As the minutes stretched on he began to grow bored, the thought that this all could be some form of practical joke crossed his mind before the sound of the door unlocking snapped him back to attention.

The Warden stepped inside, levelling a glare at the chained prisoner sitting at the metal table. With a bored expression on his face, Megamind turned away with a sigh.

"You have 30 minutes, don't try anything stupid!" He said as he stepped to the side, allowing the visitor to enter the room quietly. He moved backwards out of the room, shutting and locking the door as he went. Megamind didn't turn around at first, waiting for the person to announce themselves first. After a few moments of silence he decided that he was bored to playing the waiting game.

"So, exactly what is it you wanted to ask the Master of all-" Megamind turned and stuttered into silence almost immediately, "_Roxanne_!" He was obviously shocked to see her there as he was suddenly at a loss for words as he watched her walk the short distance from the door to the chair. She sat facing him, with her back to the observation window. She rested her plastered arm on the table with a wince as she smiled at him before casting a nervous glance behind her at the mirror.

"They are watching, but don't worry, they can't hear us." He said from behind his hands as he leaned forwards, his elbows braced on the table, "The microphones haven't been turned on, I would be able to hear them if they had been." She looked back at him with more of a relieved expression on her face. As she looked up at him she realised that he was staring intently at her arm.

"They said it should heal with no lasting effects other than a little soreness in my wrist." She said simply as she ran a hand over the off-white plaster. She was about to say more when he cut her off.

"What are you doing out of hospital?" He was looking up into her eyes now, searching for answers to question even he didn't know.

"I've never been one for sitting around doing nothing. I discharged myself a few days ago."

"Are you coping OK? With your arm like that I mean," His expression hadn't changed and he was still hiding his mouth behind his hands. Roxanne realised suddenly he was doing it on purpose, hiding his words from anyone watching who may be able to lip-read.

"I'm OK, I do have someone helping me. A _friend_ has been coming round each day and cooking for me, I might not let him go when I finally get this thing off my arm. I might just keep him for myself." She chose her words carefully and made sure her back was facing the window fully.

"You very own minion, eh?" He asked with a smirk, the corners of his green eyes wrinkling.

"You could say that." She smiled, not surprised that he got the hint so quickly, it had probably been his idea in the first place though Minion denied it had been the plan all along, "So, what you in for this time?"

"A crime I didn't commit, _naturally_." He said as he leaned back in his chair, uncaring of anyone who may be watching. He was fairly confident it would only be the Warden and he wouldn't use any personal information gained from spying against him.

"I saw the news. He has been avoiding me but as soon as I get my hands on him I'm going to wring his neck!" Roxanne said in a low voice, her temper rising at the mere thought of Metroman's declaration that her injuries were down to the villain. A soft chuckling brought her back to the present, causing her to look back up at the man in front of her. His smirk was the most evil she had ever seen it and his chuckle seemed to reverberate through his chest.

"Why, Miss Ritchie," He said in a low voice as he tented his fingers in front of his face, "If you ever wish to join me you would make an _excellent_ Evil Queen." His smirk only grew larger at the blush that spread up her cheeks.

"You think so?" She said with a laugh as she tried to resist the urge to smirk back at him. Despite the odd situation she was beginning to feel more comfortable, both of them falling into the old game of words they played every time they were near each other.

"Oh definitely." He said, his eyes shining, "with my brains and your knowledge of the city, we would have it under our control in no time! So, how about it? Do you want the job?"

"I have a job." She said smoothly as she leaned in towards him, her own smirk firmly on her face in reply.

"Yes, and it looks like you have been replaced. She looks like she is close to replacing you in _other_ aspects of your life also," he watched her reaction carefully, her smirk fading off her face, "I wonder who would be the best kidnap victim, her or you, now that she is the new _darling_ of Metrosity.

"Well you _could_, but I doubt she would be..." She paused as she sat back, carefully folding her arms over her chest, "_stimulating_ company."

"You think I find your company stimulating, Miss Ritchie?" He asked with a grin as he shifted in his seat, the chains around his ankle clinking together.

"Are you saying you _don't_?"

He remained silent for a while as he just looked at her until she blushed and glanced away from his eyes. He chuckled softly and at back again in his seat, deciding to let her off easy this time by changing the subject. She had obviously come here for a reason and they were running out of time.

"So, what exactly did you come here for Miss Ritchie?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. He tried to fold one leg over the other but the chains at his ankles pulled sharply, keeping him in place. He had been truly surprised when she had entered the room and her motives for her visit were eluding him.

"I wanted to let you know that I plan on setting the record straight." She said after a while, a serious expression on her face, "that my injuries were not down to you and therefore you should not be punished for it. I won't have you paying for something that you didn't do."

"I have been paying for things I didn't do since before I could walk, Miss Ritchie, why is _this_ any different?"

"It's different because I won't stand for it. I can't let him get away with this, even if he is just being a pig-headed moron! I'm going to make sure he pays through the nose for this! Lord knows my medical bill isn't cheap and I am so not coughing up for that! Apparently, Metroman demanded my treatment was only handled by the top surgeons and consultants in the city!" Roxanne rolled her eyes and she rubbed her fingers over her broken collar bone.

"Your medical bill?" Megamind asked curiously, "isn't it customary for an individual such as yourself to purchase medical insurance?"

"Yeah, well I don't see why my insurance should pay out for something he has done. Lord knows it has had to pay up a lot to cover what you have done in the past! It's a wonder that the station's company even insures me any more!" Roxanne folded her arms across her chest the best she could and rolled her eyes up to the ceiling, "talk about a loosing bet."

"A loosing bet?" He asked with a frown.

"OK, look at it this way. If _you_ were providing insurance and I came to you wanting to buy it from you, what would e the first thing you did?"

"I'd calculate the likelihood of you sustaining some form of injury that would require me to pay out." He said simply, his frown of confusion turning slightly frustrated.

"And what would be the odds you put on _me_ gaining an injury," She asked with a small smile, "bearing in mind the fact that the city's super-villain is apparently_ obsessed_ with putting me in perilous positions?" His frown faded into an amused smirk as he relaxed slightly, "I must be something of a high risk investment."

"I see," He said slowly, "so because of me, your insurance will not pay for your medical bills?"

"Well, they probably would but it shouldn't have to." She said, her face turning determined, "I believe that the person responsible for my injuries should pay. It is only right after all, don't you think?"

"Quite right, Miss Ritchie, quite right." He said quietly before his grin turned impish, "I would give anything to be there when you make your demand of him."

"I had a feeling you would say that," She smiled at him as she began itching at the heel of her injured hand, "I should be getting back soon, my friend is waiting outside, he worries _far_ too much. He said they keep _all sorts_ of people in here, that you never know when one of them will get their hands on something that they can use to cause some damage."

"Oh really, like what exactly?

"I don't know, like something they can use to short out he electrics or something. He got all technical but I couldn't understand a word he was saying." She smiled as she felt his fingers brush hers underneath the table.

"I think I like the sound of your friend. Maybe I'll be able to meet him some-" He was cut off by the door opening suddenly and the Warden striding in glaring at the pair.

"Times up." He stood to the side of the door, gesturing for Roxanne to leave the room. Without looking back at Megamind, Roxanne put on her work face and stood to leave the room. After she had exited three guards entered the room and unhooked him from the floor and placed the manacles around his wrists.

"It must be difficult managing with your arm all done up like that." The female prison guard who had escorted her through the prison said as they watched the shackled Megamind being walked out of the room.

"It's not so bad, a friend is staying with me to help out with things." She said as she watched the Warden saying something to the blue alien.

"Anyone nice?" She asked, her voice light and innocent. Megamind's eyes glanced over to them sharply before being tugged down the corridor.

"Just a friend I've known for years, guy called Gill, his partner is out of town so he's staying over with me for a while." She smiled at her again before turning back to look over her shoulder again as a metal bared door slid shut between her and Megamind.

"Lets hope he's a better protector for you than _Metroman_ is!" Megamind yelled over his shoulder as he was pulled out of sight, a sneer plastered on his face as he hissed something threatening to one of the guards.

"Are your guys going to be OK with him Officer...?" Roxanne asked, struggling to remember the name of the guard. She was older than Roxanne, probable somewhere in her 50's, obviously a career officer within the prison judging by the ease at which she went about her work in what was undeniably a man's world.

"Call me Marci, I don't insist on visitors referring to me by rank." The older woman smiled as she waited for the Warden to give them the all-clear to proceed to the prison's visitor reception, "And don't you worry about _him_, we've been dealing with him since he was a baby. He likes to act touch but those of us who have been here a few years know he's mainly all talk. _Unfortunately_ no one seems to care about the fact that despite all of his break-out attempts, no-one, prisoner _or_ guard, has even been seriously injured during any of his displays."

"Were you here when he landed?" Roxanne asked in a shocked voice. She had been to the prison to interview the Warden on the subject of Megamind before but never the other staff.

"Oh yes, I was on duty that day. I'll remember it till the day I die." She said with a distant smile, "He's been _no end_ of trouble since the day he arrived. But I'll let you in on a secret, I don't think he's half as bad as he thinks he is and not nearly as bad as he _wants_ to be." Roxanne smiled a tight lipped smile before turning to see the Warden coming back around the corner.

"Can you escort Miss Ritchie back to her vehicle Officer," He said when he came to stand beside the pair, "I hope you got everything you wanted and I wish you all the best for your recovery." He nodded at her before turning and disappearing round the corner once again. Roxanne smiled when Marci unlocked a barred door and held it open for her.

…

She slid into the passenger side of the news van with a grunt of effort as her back twisted uncomfortably and smiled at the person in the drivers seat. His blond hair hung down over his freckled face as he watched her trying to find a comfortable position, his brown eyes shining with concern for his passenger.

"Did they let you see him?" He asked once she pulled the door shut. His hands gripped the steering wheel as he waited for an answer before he turned the van's engine on.

"Yes, there was no problem with that," Roxanne said with a sigh, "don't worry Minion, I said I'd get in didn't I? Mission accomplished!" She gave him a thumbs up as she settled back into the seat, "I got that thing to him and said what you told me to say. But if you think I'm doing _that_ again you have another thing coming! I just owe him this one OK?"

"OK Miss Ritchie." Minion's human face smiled at her as he turned the engine on and pulled out of the prison car park.

...

She sat on the wall of her balcony simply watching the bright lights of the city twinkle into life. She She inhaled deeply on the cigarette between her fingers before tipping her head back and letting the smoke flow out of her throat in perfect rings. She hardly ever indulged in the habit, knowing all too well what it did to your body but every now and then she manage to convince herself that one or two couldn't hurt. Minion had returned to the lair after cooking her yet another fantastic meal in her slightly too-small kitchen and she had waited until he had left before venturing out onto the balcony. She had the feeling that Minion would be very disproving and she didn't need him looking down on her for indulging.

She sighed as she rubbed her shoulder and collar bone. It had been almost a week since she had been to the prison to visit Megamind and slip the strange thin length of metal to him that Minion had given her. He was still inside, biding his time she supposed, waiting for the opportune moment to make his inevitable escape. His presence in the prison didn't really bother her than much, she knew where he was and he was no stranger to the situation. It was someone else entirely that had driven her to pull the lighter and packet of cigarettes out of the back of her underwear draw.

Metroman had gone out of town, apparently getting in some down time while Megamind was safely locked away. She hadn't wanted to summon him to her apartment just to give him a talking to, no she had wanted to track him down and give him a telling off on his own territory. If she still had the ability to drive herself she would have headed out to his hideout to confront him but she figured that getting Minion to drive her there would be a bad idea. The fish would naturally feel obliged to inform his boss of their rival's home location.

"Sod it!" She muttered to herself after she took another long drag on the cigarette. Taking her mobile out of her pocket she hit the speed dial for his mobile phone, holding the phone against her ear with her shoulder. She waited as it rang and rang, eventually diverting to his answer machine.

"_Hi, you have reached Metroman; Defender of Metro City! If you have experienced a crime, please phone your local law enforcement facility. If you require saving from imminent peril, please hold the line and leave a message after the beep. Thank you for phoning Metroman, honoured citizen of Metro City!"_ As the recorded message cut out into a beep Roxanne took the cigarette from her lips.

"Hey, it's me. Can you come over to my place as soon as you can? I need to talk to you." She snapped her phone shut and perched the cigarette between her lips as she stuffed it into her pocket. She took a few more quick drags as she gazed up at the stars, wondering not for the first time, if there are any other surprises waiting out there.

"You know, smoking is bad for your health, Roxie." His voice sounding out from the other side of her balcony didn't even startle her as she lolled her head to the side to face him, cigarette dangling loosely from her lips. So much for being out of town.

"Well, quite frankly, I really don't care." She said as she took a drag and blew the smoke out in his direction. She could hear her mother's appalled voice now, telling her that she should be ashamed and that such behaviour was not only unbecoming but also very very rude. Normally she would have agreed with them and if she had seen anyone performing such an act in public she would have told them so herself. Oh her own property, however, she felt she had the right to make her own mistakes.

"What is going on Roxie?" Metroman asked as he approached slowly, "I know that you have been through a traumatic experience recently what with the explosion at the museum and you breaking your arm, but _this_! This is not like you, tell me, what has he done to you?"

"_Me_ breaking my arm?" Roxanne looked at him incredulously as she swung her legs back down onto her balcony, "You really have no idea do you? Do you even _remember_ what happened the other night? At Megamind's lair?"

"What? You mean when I found you..."

"Yes, when you _found_ me there with him! Do you even remember what happened after you came crashing in through the roof?" She was honestly concerned for him, not understanding how he could simply block out something so important.

"Well, yes, I came in and got him away from you, and then I..." He paused and frowned, looking down at the floor as he searched his memories.

"You tried to _kill_ him, Wayne." Roxanne said softly as she dropped the cigarette on the floor, stamping it out with her foot, "You held him up against a pillar by his throat, you were _choking_ him, you _do_ remember don't you?"

"Yes, I... I was just so angry. I thought he was trying to hurt you, I thought he was _attacking_ you." He said quietly as he leaned against the edge of the balcony, rubbing the back of his neck with his fingers.

"Why would you think that? Do you _honestly_ think that he is capable of doing something like_ that_?"

"Well... he is evil, Roxie. I guess I was … I was more shocked than anything else, I guess that was why I was so angry!" He looked up at her hopefully, "I was only trying to protect you Roxie."

"And do you remember what happened after that?"

"There was something... Something distracted me and it was enough for him to get out of my grip." He frowned as he tried to remember, "and then he... he was on the floor and I was walking towards him. There was something in the way and so I... I."

"You pushed it out of the way." Roxanne said as she stood in front of him, "Wayne, look at me. That thing that distracted you? That was _me_, I hit you over the head with a metal bar I found. It was the only thing I could think of to get you to stop. As it hit you the shock travelled down the metal bar and broke my arm and wrist. I _did_ cry out, I'm surprised you didn't hear me." Her voice was calm and steady as she watched the colour drain from the hero's face.

"Roxie, I-"

"And that thing that was in your way? Guess who that was. _Me_." Her eyes were steely as she simply stared at him, watching the tremble that spread through his body and the fear form in his eyes, "I tried to stop you, to get your attention, but you just kept on going towards him. I tried to touch you, I was _screaming_ in your face but it was like you couldn't even _see_ me, then you simply swept me out of the way. I was lucky Minion was there to catch me, I came away from that with only two broken ribs and a broken collar bone."

"Roxie, I... I didn't..." He stammered, his face a ghostly white.

"_Wayne_," Roxanne said softly as he slid down the balcony wall and sat on the floor, "You _know_ how dangerous it is for you to loose control like that. You could have killed him, you could have killed _me_! I'm not in this state because of Megamind or the explosion, I'm in this condition because of _you_, Wayne. I'm sorry but you have to realise. What if it hadn't been in the lair? What if it was in a public place? What if someone innocent had been the one to get in your way? What if it had been a _child_?"

"Roxie, I am so sorry! I didn't realise-"

"I know. And that is half the problem Wayne. You know what you can do if you don't think about your actions. You_ know_ how much stronger than everyone else on the planet you are. If you act without thought or without realizing it, people get hurt."

"I know I know!" He said as he held his head in his hands, "I _thought_ you were in danger, I thought he was _hurting_ you."

"You thought he was raping me. Wayne, how could you _think_ something like that? You should know better! God, I feel like we have been having this conversation for years!" She said, some of the anger she had felt coming back at the very idea of such a thing, "You have known him for far longer than I have, Wayne, you should know him better than that. And you should also know that I'm stronger than you give me credit for and if you think I would let someone treat me like that and then try to defend them afterwards then you don't know me at all."

"Roxie, I am so sorry... please-" He reached out for her but stopped and puled his hands back as she backed away from him quickly.

"It isn't that easy Wayne, The moment you started to act like that? I lost a whole lot of respect for you. I know you didn't mean it but it has been a long time since that excuse worked for any of us, Wayne." She said as she looked down at him, "You went on air and blamed _Megamind_ for something that _you_ did! I don't deny he blew up the museum and yes, I was there. But it was nothing like what you said on air. He was hitting out at _you_, not trying to kill anyone, least of all me! Why did you say those things when you weren't even there?"

"I just, I don't know!" He said as he got to his feet and began pacing the balcony, "They asked me for an interview and I thought, I _honestly _thought that was what happened! If I had realised it I would never have... oh Roxie, I'm so sorry!"

"I know you are, Wayne, but that doesn't excuse what happened. Now because of you I have to spend god-knows-how-long in _this_ thing, I'm practically _helpless_!" Roxanne cursed herself as soon as the words were out of her mouth, knowing exactly what was coming next.

"That's _it_!" He said triumphantly as he moved to stand in front of her, "I can _help_ you! That's how I can repay you! I'll help you out and I'll fly you to work and I'll make sure you are OK until your arm heals! Oh Roxie, you won't regret this! I promise!"

"NO!" She yelled for the third or fourth time into his face, "You are doing it _again_! Wayne, you are not _listening_ to me! I do not need your help Wayne, it was your help that got me into this situation in the first place! I do _not_ need you cluttering up my apartment, the last time you were here you broke my window, not to mention my bathroom door! I know you paid for the repairs but that is not the point!

"Wayne, I think you need a break. Your temper has been getting the better of you recently, you need to relax. Go on a vacation, away from everything, away from being a hero. Go and find some desert island somewhere and get some proper alone time in!"

"But the city-"

"Will be fine without you!" She said softly as she placed her good hand on his arm, "we managed for years before you came along, and I will make sure Megamind doesn't do anything stupid while you are gone."

"How will you do that Roxie, he's not exactly a stable person" Wayne said, clearly considering the possibilities.

"He owes me one, don't worry about that. Besides, what would be in it for him if he pulled anything while you were out of town? Where would the challenge be in that?" She smiled at him as his face began to visibly relax, "Go. Take as much time as you need. Just look at it as recharging your batteries so you can come back a better hero."

"Are you sure?" He smiled when she nodded before he took her head in his hands and placed a brotherly kiss on her forehead, "thank you Roxie, thank you for not being mad at me."

"Oh ho ho! Whoa there big fella! I am _so_ mad at you right now, but I know you didn't do anything on purpose, I'm worried about you." She backed away from him, pointing a finger into his chest, "Just get out of here before I change my mind."

"Thank you Roxie." he said as he turned to leave. As he floated over the balcony she called out to him, stopping him in his tracks.

"There is one thing you could do for me though, by way of compensation." She said as she resisted the urge to smirk at him, "compensation to the tune of $20,000! Medical bills don't come cheap, especially when_ someone_ requests the best and naturally the most _expensive_ medical treatment possible!"

"What? How-" His protest was cut off by the look in her eyes saying she would not take no for an answer, "OK Roxie, I'll sort everything out, don't you worry." With that he flew off into the night sky, disappearing behind the tall buildings.

Roxanne heaved a heavy sigh as she picked up the pack of cigarettes and lit another one as she placed it to her lips. She had lost count of the number of times she had wondered exactly how her life had become this complicated. She leaned back up against the cool glass of her balcony doors, as she closed her eyes, relishing the warmth of the smoke filling her lungs and trying not to listen to the condemning voice in the back of her head. She could hardly remember a time when she could plan to go out in the evening and know that she would in fact make it to the party, or when the most exciting part of her day would be the buzz from a successful report. Somehow she had ended up being a proverbial cat-toy being batted around between the city's two aliens. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the glass, trying to settle her mind and find some kind of peace.

"Smoking kills, you know." This time she did jump when the quiet voice sounded out in the darkness. She looked around, being met with nothing but the empty air around her, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end.

"Who's there?" She asked, forcing her voice to remain steady. A soft chuckle filled the air and she closed her eyes for a moment as she tried to pinpoint exactly where the sound had come from. Turning to look at the corner of her balcony she stepped to the side, watching that one spot intently. As she moved, she could see a very slight distortion in the city lights beyond, as if she was looking at it through water. With a huff she brought the cigarette back up to her lips and turned to lean forwards on the wall of the balcony.

"I should just push you off you know." She muttered as she felt him move towards her even though she still could not see him.

"You could, but I think we both know you wont." He said as he came to a stop beside her. He pulled down the hood covering his face and pulled the remainder of the strange cape back from his shoulders. She raised an eyebrow at him as she watched him take the cape off and drape it over the wall of the balcony. She couldn't resist the urge to reach out to it and touch the strange material, it was cool and silky to the touch. The sight of her hand disappearing behind a fabric she could barely see was quite unnerving.

"You've been watching too much Harry Potter." She said with a chuckle as she watched his smirk grow wider.

"Why do I need to keep reminding you that I am evil? Flouting copyright laws is easy. Besides, I had invented the Invisibility Matrix for the car long before the books came out, transferring the technology to fabric was a nice challenge. It has come in very useful indeed." He said as he watched her fondle the fabric in her good hand.

"Yes, I can imagine." She smiled as she carefully replaced the cape back on the wall, "What else have you stolen from the movies? You've not put a Flux Capacitor in that car of yours have you?"

"Ha!" He laughed as his smirk grew into a grin, "I never had you down as a Sci-Fi fan, Miss Ritchie. Alas, no, time travel is not something I have been able to work out yet, and to be honest I'm not sure it is something I should do. There are too many variables, too much that could go very, very wrong."

"Shame, I always wanted to go back in time by 24 hours so I could put some very specific numbers down on the lottery." She shrugged as she turned her back on him, she could practically feel the smirk the spread on his face as he stepped closer to her

"Miss Ritchie, I honestly do think you would make a very successful Evil Queen." His hand twitched as he resisted the urge to reach out and pull her to him, "The position is still open if you are interested."

"And what exactly would the job entail?" She asked as she turned back to face him, "Choreographing the Brainbots? Holding the bag at the bank? Pointing that gun of yours at the mayor? Sorry, but I don't think I'm the best person for the job."

"Oh but imagine the _perks_," he grinned down at her impishly, "I pay very well indeed and there are various perks that, if I'm not mistaken, you would enjoy very much indeed." His voice had dropped a few levels causing a shiver to trace up her spine. It was the same voice that he used when she was tied to that chair in his lair, completely at his mercy.

"I'm sure." She breathed as he leaned in towards her, his arms reaching around her to rest on the balcony wall. She felt his fingers brush over her hand as he leaned in, his nose nearly touching hers, before he abruptly pulled away. She blinked a few times as he turned and walked away from her a few steps before she realised what he had done.

"Oi!" She shouted at him and cursed herself for not being more eloquent, "thief!"

"You sound surprised." He said simply as he brought the stolen cigarette up to his lips and took a deep drag, his eyes never leaving hers as he exhaled into the cold night air.

"I guess I shouldn't be." She said as she shrugged and looked back out over the city, "just like I shouldn't be surprised that _you_ smoke. I've never seen you do that before."

"I don't, actually." He said as he stubbed the cigarette out against the wall, blowing the remainder of the smoke from his lungs, "but it is generally considered to be a bad habit, and being _bad_ is all I'm about, you know." When she simply shrugged in reply he continued, "That was a very impressive show just now. I wish it was that easy for _me_ to bring Metroman to his knees."

"He needed a reality check." She said as she hugged her good arm around herself tightly, "It has always scared me, the thought of what would happen if he really lost his temper."

"Has he ever lost it before?" Megamind asked, his voice calm and serious.

"No, not his temper." She said as she rubbed her arm, wishing for another way out of the conversation, "but he has lost control before. I met him not long before you showed up so all I know of his youth is rumours... but there were a couple of times in his early twenties... I-" She cut herself off, wondering what was possessing her to divulge such things. She let out a sting of whispered curses to herself before she felt a hand lay gently on her shoulder.

"I told you I went on one date with him, rite? And it was the most _boring_ night of my life?" She asked without even looking back at him, "I lied. It was anything but boring." The hand on her shoulder doped away so she turned to face him, more than a little surprised at the look of disappointment on his face.

"I promised him I would never tell _anyone_ this as long as he never did anything like it again. He took me out to a ball being held by a friend of his family. It started out OK, I got all dressed up and he wore a suit and they were serving champagne all night and..."

"_Oh no_." Megamind breathed as he looked back up at her, he had gone to school with Wayne Scott and had been witness to the boy's first experiments with under-aged drinking.

"And I wanted to leave, I really didn't fit in with anyone so I told him I had called a cab and that I hoped he enjoyed the rest of the night. He didn't like that, he wanted me to stay so he... tried to make me.

"He didn't_ hit _me or anything, nothing as direct but...he pulled me up against him and asked me what was wrong with him. His hand against my back got too tight and ripped my dress... then his fingernails began to dig into my skin and..." She trailed off before she twisted her good arm around to her side, lifting the back of her top. Just above her hip on one side of the small of her back were four almost invisible curved white lines. Megamind leaned forward, a look of quiet shock on his face. The muscles in Roxanne's stomach contracted as she felt his fingers trace the marks, a feather-light touch that she felt far too keenly.

"I cried out in pain and he let go of me instantly, I think he was honestly confused about why there was blood on his fingertips. I should have stayed there to yell at him but I just... I just ran. It was the most embarrassing thing I have ever done. Running down the steps of some grand house with a ripped dress and smudged make-up. I just jumped into the cab and told him to step on it."

"And he calls himself a _hero_." Megamind muttered bitterly from behind her. His fingers lingered for a moment longer on her back before his hand covered hers and puled her top down. "He always was an arrogant bastard."

"Wayne Scott? _Arrogant_? Nooo." Roxanne chucked, trying to beat down the memory with a joke. Thankfully Megamind chuckled along with her before continuing.

"You know, I was in school with him. At the Senior Prom he didn't take a date because he said it wouldn't be fair to only choose _one_ girl. He said that way he could make every girl in the school feel like they were special by dancing with them."

"I didn't know you two went to school together?" Roxanne said as she turned to face him.

"Not the best experience of my life." He shrugged with a small smile, "but it was good practice. Everyone in the school knew my name so I guess that counts for something."

"I'm surprised you were even allowed to your prom." Roxanne said with a small smile which grew into a grin answering his.

"Well I wouldn't have been if it weren't for Minion. He says he simply asked them nicely but I think he pointed out the fact that they really didn't stand a chance of stopping me." He sighed to himself as his grin slipped away slowly, "Speaking of Minion, I better be getting back to the lair. I went there first but he was out so I came over here. He will know I'm out by now and he will start worrying if I don't check in."

"He's a very good friend, he's taken very good care of me these last few days." Roxanne said, honestly glad of Minion's help.

"He is at your disposal for the remainder of your recovery." Megamind said as he looked at her thoughtfully before a sly smirk spread onto his face, "I must say I was surprised that the hero agreed to go on vacation. So very un-hero like! Imagine the amount of devastation a villain could cause when the hero is away."

"Oh I think I will be able to stop the villain from doing anything too evil for a while. He owes me one after all."

"Oh really? And what gives you that idea?" Megamind's voice dropped lower as he raised an eyebrow at her questioningly.

"Well, I did save his life-"

"But he saved your life first, if I remember correctly. So that one doesn't count."

"Well, I..." She paused as she looked down in thought before looking back up into his eyes through her eyelashes, "I gave him a kiss."

"Hmmm," He hummed in his chest, the sound rumbling up through his throat, "I'm not sure one kiss would equal the length of time you have in mind."

"Then perhaps I should offer another, if he would accept it." She whispered as her hand crept up to rest on his bicep.

"Oh I think he would accept it Miss Ritchie," He breathed as he closed the gap between them, "I think he would indeed."

As their lips met he watched her eyes drift closed, his own doing the same moments later. One hand snaked around her waist, pulling her against him, as the other followed the line of her spine up the the back of her neck to tangle into her hair. He found himself humming deep in his throat as he felt her arm reach around him, unconsciously tugging on the back of his suit. As the kiss deepened he leaned further forwards, his arms tightening around her.

Roxanne's heart was beating faster than it had ever done before when Megamind had stepped closer to her. She wrestled the voice insider her head, telling her this was wrong, into a dark corner and left it there, choosing to trust in her instincts instead. She could feel the heat radiating from hs body as she pressed up against him, pulling him closer to her as she wrapped her good arm around his lithe frame.

Fire suddenly erupted within her in all the wrong placed, pulling a strangled yelp of pain from her throat. Megamind let her go instantly, his arms hovering in front of her, not wanting to hurt her but not wanting to let her go.

"I'm OK, I'm OK." Roxanne winced as she leaned forwards, her arm protecting her ribs and collar bone. She wheezed slightly as she forced the pain away, trying to catch her breath in the process.

"How bad is it?" He asked softly as he stood close to her, resting one hand as gently as he could against her back.

"It's the bruising around my ribs, mainly. It's almost gone but..." She gritted her teeth as she stood straighter and looked up at him, "I guess I'm not quite recovered yet. I'm sorry. I-" His lips gently brushing against hers silenced her as one of his hands cupped her face.

"You have nothing to be sorry about." He whispered as he pulled back slightly from her, "I accept your terms, Miss Ritchie. I will pose no threat to this city, so long as the hero stays away."

he stepped backwards, sweeping the invisibility cape off of the wall of the balcony. With a flourish he twirled the fabric up over his head and wrapped it around himself, disappearing instantly before her eyes. She shivered as she felt the air shift around her and closed her eyes as she felt fingertips ghost over her skin.

"However, _you_, Miss Ritchie," His whispered voice seemed to be flowing on the breeze as she could feel him standing behind her. She gasped involuntarily as she felt his lips press gently to the back of her neck, "can't get rid of me that easily." Moments later he was gone, leaving Roxanne alone on her balcony once again.

She felt like she was in a daze, standing on the spot with her eyes closed, trying to memorise the feel of him wrapped around her. She decided to herself there and then, that as she couldn't seem to simply switch these feelings off, she would find out exactly what they were about, and how deep they ran. With a sigh she opened her eyes and found herself frowning almost instantly.

"Why you sneaky little-!" She hissed as she span around, searching in every direction for the villain who had made his escape along with her packet of cigarettes.

...

As he swept back into the lair, Megamind was instantly surrounded by a pack of brainbots, all vying for their master's attention. With a grin he pulled a wrench from the jaws of one of them and waved it around in the air, narrowly missing being bitten, before launching it across the lair. He chuckled to himself as he watched his favourite creations scramble over each-other in order to gain possession of the toy. This had been an unexpected bonus to the brainbots, he had simply wanted a number of mechanical creatures that could assist him in the delicate procedures associated with building and inventing that Minion was unable to do, their Artificial Intelligence had been intended for simply spotting potential problems. He had never expected them to develop their own individual personalities. In many ways the cyborgs were a marvel to even him. The organic aspect to their construction and programming had been varied over the years but he found that canine DNA had the best effect with DNA from different breeds providing discreet and varied personality differences.

"Oh Sir! There you are!" Minion's eternally happy voice called out from across the lair.

"Yes Minion, it is so good to be home!" He sang as he span around, looking around at his collection of half-finished inventions gleefully.

"Well, you are in a good mood Sir! I assume the breakout plan was enjoyable?" Minion asked with a toothy grin as he dusted something off his gorilla fur shoulders.

"Hmm? Oh yes, indeed it was. I must say, Minion, hiding the device in Miss Ritchie's cast was a stroke of genius!" He said energetically as he grabbed Minion's dome with both hands, shaking it a little in his enthusiasm.

"It was Miss Ritchie's idea, Sir." The fish admitted with a shrug and a smile, "I must say, I wasn't too happy with it at first, I don't like the thought of Miss Ritchie putting herself in danger like that for us. I don't like her getting so deeply involved."

"Oh don't be such a _pill_, Minion!" Megamind smirked as he moved over to his workbench, surveying the various plans and blue prints piled haphazardly on the surface. His grin turned into a frown of concentration as he thought over the various plans they currently had in the mix. "Minion, are there any plans due for introduction to the populace shortly?"

"Well Sir, the only plans we have near completion are the Robo-Sheep stampede and, I believe, the Typhoon Cheese, although I did hear when you were in prison that there was some inventor kid off the East cost that did something similar in a less-than-villainous manner."

"Really?" Megamind turned to face the fish with a raised eyebrow, "how so, Minion?"

"I saw it on the news, Sir." Minion said as he picked up one of the newspapers, "Some young boy called … Flint Lockwood, in a town called Swallow Falls. Apparently he invented something that could turn water into food."

"_Really_?" Megamind asked, always interested in the exploits of fellow inventors, even if others are not as devilishly evil as himself, "what type of food?"

"Any type of food, apparently. But judging from the news reports he lost control of the machine and it somehow managed to blast itself up into the upper atmosphere. It started to create what the news networks have been describing as 'food whether', including a flood of melted cheese." Minion said, reading over the news article. He passed the paper over to his boss, smile still on his face.

"Hmmm...looks like the problem was a simple miscalculation and overload of the food matrix..." Megamind mused to himself as he scanned over the article, noting with a small smile how this boy had not only saved his home town from destruction and its citizens from death but had also won the young whether girl sent to report on the affects of his invention.

"I thought it would be something like that Sir, you know how these amateurs make such simple mistakes." Minion nodded as he turned to head back into the kitchen.

"Still, no matter!" Megamind said suddenly, catching Minion's attention before he got around the corner, "We are now on vacation for a few weeks. So Minion, if you would be so kind as to deactivate the Robo-sheep and please make sure that the typhoon cheese does not get released."

"Vacation, Sir?" Minion asked, obviously confused.

"Indeed Minion! Now, lets get all this stuff cleared up, I do not want any distractions during our Vacation time!" With that he skipped off towards his quarters, disappearing around a pile of half-built battle suit components.

* * *

><p><em>AN: ooooh it's good to be back with the fluffy stuff again! Thank you to everyone who review the last chapter, you are all so very very kind! _

_When I was writing this one I thought that calm Roxanne would get through to Wayne a lot better than shouty Roxanne. She has had shouting fights with him before and never seems to get through to him. So yeah, if you are having trouble reading her body language, imagine what it is like when someone you love tells you that they are 'dissapointed in you'. That stings!_

_And, as I dont think i've done a dislaimer yet... It may come to suprise you but I do not own Megamind. Nor do I own Harry Potter's invisibility cloak, the flux capacitor from Back to the Future or anything from Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs. I do own Marci, she's an OC from "Whatever you are, be a good one" which will be continued at some point._

_The next chapter will be out soon but that is the last one that has already been written so updates may slow down. Currently I'm trying to decide if I can manage to write on of THOSE chapters. *nudge nudge wink wink*_


	11. Dinner and a dance

_The following takes place 2 weeks after the balcony scene (did anyone read that in the voice from 24? lol). I would also like to quickly mention Roxanne's injured arm, which is still in a plaster cast. So far I have tried not to specify which arm she broke, I have written everything so far under the belief that it is her dominant hand that she injured. As I am right handed, it is easier for me to imagine that it was her right hand she broke. If you would prefer to believe it was her left, fine. The important thing is that not being about to use that hand has made things rather difficult for her. Have you ever tried doing _anything_ using the wrong hand? not fun.  
><em>

_This Chapter gets a bit steamy towards the end but the rating is not going up just yet. So, if some of you, for some reason, dont want steamy, they stop reading when Megamind opens the door to Roxannes apartment. ;)  
><em>

* * *

><p>"People of Metro City, your city is flourishing once again! New business are opening up every day, the city's economy is getting stronger, the streets are the safest they have been... We can only wonder, what has happened to Megamind? Has someone tamed the monster? The populace of Metro City, as one, is both deeply confused and pleasantly surprised by this time of peace. This is Roxanne Ritchie coming to you from outside Metro City town hall wondering if this blissful peace can last forever." Roxanne signalled for Hal to cut off the recording and handed him her microphone. She had struggled to hide the grin that spread on her face when the network handed her the script for the new report. Even while recording she had found it hard to keep from sniggering when she asked if someone had '<em>tamed the monster<em>'. She hoped that when Megamind saw that report, and she knew he would, that he would not take offence at the term 'monster'.

"Wow Roxie, you must be tired, you almost sounded like you _believed_ that stuff!" Hal scoffed as he held the camera loosely by his side, "I mean, c'mon, you sound like Megamind has like, a _good_ side or something! Yeah, like that'll ever happen!"

"Come on Hal, I just think there is good in everybody." She said as she rolled her eyes, "You just need to look a little deeper in some people. Really get to know then, you know?"

"Speaking of which," Hal's face took on that rather disturbing expression that told her to put her guard on high alert, "How about we head off to get to know each other better, if you know what I mean?" He waggled his eyebrows at her as if to tell her he was hinting about something.

"Oh gee Hal," she said slowly as she took a step backwards, suddenly not relishing the drive home with him in the van, "I'm really not feeling up to it right now. It's been a long day and I'm kinda beat. I'm just going to head home and hit the sack."

"Oh sure, no problem! If you're not feeling well I can give you a lift home, yeah? I could even make sure you get back into your apartment safe, you know, what with your arm like that and everything. Reaching the buttons on the lift must be pretty difficult!" Hal edged closer to her again, an excited smile on his face.

"No. Thanks Hal but I'm gonna be fine. I think I'll walk, it's only a few blocks and I could use the exercise. I'll see you on Monday Hal." She said firmly as she turned and walked quickly away, resisting the urge to run. She ignored Hal's protesting voice, hoping that he would simply think that she could not hear him. She focused on the clicking of her heels on the pavement, using the hollow sound to keep pace and stop herself from running.

She knew her camera man was harmless but he was very, _very_ good at creeping her out. All he had to do some days was to look at her and she would feel her skin crawl. She told herself she was being unfair, he just didn't really know how to talk to a woman, it was like he was stuck in highschool mode or something. She couldn't remember a day when he didn't make some form of pass at her. The trouble was he was just so pathetic that she couldn't bring herself to file harassment charges against him. Lord knows everyone else thought she should.

Roxanne sighed to herself as she heard the engine on the van fire up and the tyres squeal slightly as he pulled away. She made a mental note to actually talk to her boss about him this time, first thing on Monday morning, not that anything would be able to get through Hal's thick skull anyway. She shivered and cursed herself for not thinking to grab her white jacket from the van before she had walked away, her blue dress, while providing a respectable amount of covering, did nothing to keep out the chill in the air.

She quickened her pace, her heels clicking loudly on the pavement as she walked past row after row of busy cafés, restaurants and coffee houses, hoping that the exercise would help her to keep warm. The bouncers standing outside some of the clubs, watched her walk past, obviously wondering what she was doing walking around at night on her own with her arm in that condition. The white cast stood out like a sore thumb as she tried to wiggle a finger under the stiff material to itch at the heel of her hand.

"Oh no," As she turned onto her street and her apartment building came into view she stopped walking abruptly and swore loudly to herself, "Oh bloody... fuck! Shit! How could I..."

The key to her apartment was in her jacket pocket. The same jacket pocket that was probably now on it's way to Hal's apartment. He would undoubtedly notice the coat on the passenger seat and, knowing him, he would probably take it up into his apartment for 'safekeeping'. She really didn't like the thought of Hal finding her keys, he would probably decide on bringing them around to her, trying to play the knight in shining armour. She wouldn't even put it past him to let himself into her apartment itself in order to 'check if she was OK'. She shuddered as she hugged her arms around herself as best she could and looked around, as if an answer to her problem was going to make itself known out of the shadows.

"You look lost." An amused voice came out of the shadow of a narrow alleyway caused her to let out a clipped scream as she span around, raising her good arm in what she hoped would be seen as an intimidating manner.

"I don't have anything worth stealing and I am in a really bad mod so you might as well-" She yelled into the shadow but was cut off by an all too familiar chuckle.

"Now now Miss Ritchie," He said as he stepped out of the alleyway, his hands in his pockets and an amused glint in his eyes, "petty theft isn't something I normally have to resort to."

"You..." She said as she stared at him. She knew it was him, she would recognise that voice anywhere, but she never in a million years expected to see his unmistakable eyes smiling at her from a human face. He was still recognisable, his facial structure and expression was almost an exact match for his own and his body-shape matched well too. But his still bald head was a normal, human size and his skin a pale pink, the thin goatee still in position on his chin. He was wearing a black leather jacket, the collar popped up around his neck as usual and a few metal studs as decorative detail on the packet and cuffs. His hands were firmly tucked into the front pockets of a pair of dark blue jeans giving him a casual and carefree look. A foggy memory worked it's way into her attention. A man in a white lab coat, smiling over at her with vivid green eyes.

"See something you like Miss Ritchie?" He asked with a smirk as he leaned casually on a shop window. He pulled one hand out of his pocked and held it up by his face, giving her a view of a simple wristwatch she had seen him wearing countless times. "Wonderful device it it not? With this I can go anywhere I want without anyone noticing me. With this I can be _anyone_ I want." His voice dropped lower as he went on, sending her a look she wasn't sure she wanted to understand. Despite herself she could feel her cheeks flushing.

"It's a..." She started, but found she had no idea how to describe it, not quite following his logic.

"A disguise generator." He grinned at her from a face that was so much alike but so very different from his own, the effect was unnerving, "I invented it years back and until now, it has been one of my best kept secrets."

"Wow..." She said before shaking her head to try and get her thoughts into gear, "Why are you showing me this? And what are you doing here? Are you stalking me or something?"

"Of course I am, I've been stalking you for years, have you never noticed?" His grin only grew wider when he noticed her lips twitch into a suppressed smile, "and as for _why_ I'm showing you, I thought it would be a good idea. Especially if you say _yes_."

"Yes? Yes to what?" She asked as she watched him push away from the wall, taking a couple of steps towards her.

"Dinner." He said simply as he came to a stop a couple of feet in front of her. He watched as a conflict of thoughts and emotions played out across her face in the space of a few seconds, finally deciding on confusion.

"Dinner? What, you mean _now_?" She asked dumbly, as if the timing was the important matter.

"Yes now, it is dinner _time_ after all." He chuckled lightly as he took her hand in his, stroking his thumb over the back of her hand absently, "Miss Ritchie, would you accompany me to dinner? My treat?"

She stood there for a good few moments just looking up at him. Everything that she had seen from him in the past couple of months, ever since his plan with the observatory had failed, had been so very confusing and yet glorious at the same time. Her feelings for him had been undergoing her own rigorous scrutiny for years, ever since a friend of hers from college started teasing her about having a crush on the super-villain. The woman's digs and jibes had grown ten fold recently, especially after that blasted song had been released into the charts. "Super-villain to rescue me" indeed. She was reminded of the lecture she had given Hal moments before. That there was good in everyone, all one had to do was look deep enough. She knew beyond a doubt that this Megamind was the_ real_ him, not the one he put on display for the city to see.

After taking a deep breath, knowing that she was probably signing her own death warrant, she smiled up at him.

"Anywhere in mind?" She asked as she stepped to his side and wrapped her good arm around his.

"Well," He winced, "to be honest, I was hoping you would choose somewhere. It may surprise you to hear this but Minion and I have never really frequented this kind of establishment before." He said as he gestured down the row of trendy eateries. Roxanne chuckled as she released his arm to walk casually at his side.

"OK, so what kind of foods do you like? Italian, Chinese, Indian?" She offered, trying to watch his responses to each.

"Well, I am rather fond of Pizza, but I really don't think that is the sort of food you go _out_ to have is it?" He asked as he looked down at her, the extra few inches he had over her putting her head at his shoulder.

"You have clearly never been to a proper pizzeria." She smiled as she turned to stand in front of him before grabbing his hand and walking backwards, pulling him with her, "Come on, I think I know just the place."

They walked in silence, mostly just enjoying each other's company and watching the other couples and groups of people out for the evening at the end of a hard weeks work. As it was a Friday night, the streets were busy but they didn't have to worry about the younger crowds visiting the various bars and pubs in the area before the night clubs opened. The street was filled with people winding down fro work, giving the night an edge of maturity that Roxanne definitely didn't feel a part of. She was on the verge of breaking out into a full blown giggle fit at the sheer strangeness of the entire situation. She was actually going on a date with _Megamind_! After a few minutes they rounded a corner and Roxanne turned to Megamind and grinned.

"Welcome to '_Tony's_'!" She said with a flourish as she gestured to the tiny Italian restaurant, nestled in the small space between a large wine bar and an up-market kitchenware store. The red, white and green awning on the front was torn and frayed in places, but the light filtering through the frosted glass windows was warm and inviting. "This is my absolute favourite Italian in the whole city. It's one of the few 'Mom and Pop' places left in the city. It's still owned by the head chef and he really_ is_ called Tony!" She grinned at him as she climbed the thick steps up to the front door. A bell rang as she opened it and stepped through, Megamind right behind her with an amused grin on his face.

"Good afternoon and welcome to Tony's!" A cheery voice shouted out in a thick Italian accent from the other side of the small restaurant. A tall, skinny man came trotting out from the kitchen, wiping his hands on the apron tied around his waist. "Ahhh, welcome Miss Ritchie, and you've brought a friend today! Table for two?"

"Thanks Joe, maybe in one of the booths?" Roxanne said as she pulled Megamind further into the small restaurant.

"Ahh yes, _anything_ for the lovely lady!" Joe said as he led the pair through the crowd of tables towards the back of the restaurant. He passed through an alcove and stepped to one side, allowing them to move past him into the private booth complete with it's own frosted bay window and lit candles.

"Here are your menus," Joe said as he handed the leather bound books over with a smile and a flourish, "We have a special on spaghetti and meatballs today, the sauce is very good, I added a little something to it but don't tell Tony. I'm very sorry to hear about your accident Miss Ritchie, if you need anything special fixing for you, you just call for Joe, yes?" He said as he poured two glasses of white wine before disappearing back into the kitchen.

"Wow." Megamind chuckled once the strange man was out of sight, "he is...uh..."

"Yeah, don't worry about him. That's Joe, he's very excitable. His brother Tony owns the restaurant, Joe has been working under his brother's shadow ever since they were kids so there is a bit of a grudge going on." Roxanne paused to take a sip of her wine, "I come here a lot, it is one of the few places where I know I can get some privacy. Thanks to _you_, my life is anything but peaceful, I'm _constantly_ being followed by the tabloids, not to mention Metro Man's lunatic groupies. Tony and Joe make sure no one bothers me, they quite often usher me out through the back door if things get too rowdy out front. Besides, Tony is a big guy with a short temper. No one wants to bother with him when he comes running out brandishing a rolling pin or iron skillet!"

"Does everyone get this treatment when they dine here?" He asked, gesturing to the glass of wine and the bottle sitting by the table in a silver ice bucket. He picked up his own glass of wine, swishing it slightly before he took a tentative sip.

"Oh no, not really. Joe just knows what I like to drink. He normally has a bottle of perfectly chilled white wine opened and poured into a glass for me before I even sit down, I think you threw him off his game a little."

"It is a nice place, better than I imagined." Megamind said as he relaxed down into the bench seat, "before I decided to allow you to make the choice, I imagined having to go to one of those large open plan places where everyone could listen into your conversations."

"Mmm," Roxanne shook her head as she took a sip of her wine, "Oh no, I can't stand those places. They don't have any character to them. In this place, if Joe or Tony think you will enjoy something better than what you have ordered they will come out and tell you they have changed your order for you and that you will love it! I must admit, it isn't to everyone's taste but..."

"Interesting..." Megamind said slowly as he decided he did indeed like the wine and took a larger sip, liking the way it made his taste-buds tingle.

They sat in a comfortable silence as they read the menus, Megamind trying to decipher the fancy script the list was printed in as Roxanne tried to make sense of the situation in her own head. She was on a_ date _with Megamind. The man who had been single handedly making her life a misery for nigh on 10 years. Hardly a week had gone by that wasn't messed up by one of his plans or schemes to such an extent that her life had become just the boring bits in between kidnappings. She looked up at him now, as he frowned at the menu, running his finger along the writing in concentration. She had thought she had him figured out a long time ago. He was just some idiot with a grudge against the city. He was an evil villain intent on causing as much mystery and destruction as he could in his quest to kill Metroman. Now, all of her assumptions about him had been blown sky high. He was the biggest puzzle she had ever come across and he was one she was determined to solve.

"5 minutes and 27 seconds." He said suddenly, without looking up from the menu.

"_What_?" Roxanne sputtered slightly as she came out of her musings, looking back down to her menu quickly.

"5 minutes and 27 seconds." He said again, looking up at her through his long eyelashes, a smirk forming on his face, "The amount of time you just spent staring at me. I know I look fantastic but I didn't realise I was that captivating." Roxanne blushed furiously as she plucked her wine glass off the table in an attempt to stall for more time before answering him.

"Oh, I was just wondering about that disguise of yours." She managed to keep her voice steady as she tried to cover her embarrassment, "Is it just a hologram or... I don't know, something _more_. It looks like it has been modelled on your own face so I guess it is an image you have created yourself...I just don't see how you can hide that giant head of yours in what appears to be a much smaller space."

As she had continued with her ramblings, her hand had started to reach out, unconsciously wanting to reach out and touch it to see if it was as solid and tangible as it looked. She was no stranger to the concepts of holograms. The technology had been the plaything of all of her favourite sci-fi shows ever since she was a child, and she was sure that it was only a matter of time before a useful holographic system was developed in the real world. It wasn't a surprise that Megamind had created one in the form of a wrist watch. She was what her friends described as a closet geek. She had been in the science clubs at high school and in college, and for a long time she wanted to become a science correspondent on the TV news before her career took her down the route of popular news reporter. It was a side of her she had always been very careful to hide from Megamind. Who knew what the man would be like if he knew that she was secretly thrilled by the sight of the internal workings of his inventions, not to mention his lair.

"Wow, OK." Megamind said as a grin spread on his face, "Miss Ritchie, I had no idea you were interested in such things!"

"Yeah well," She shrugged as she watched him over her glass of wine, "I'm just curious, I guess."

"_Well_," He said as she placed his arm on the table, giving her a clear view of the watch, "It can work in one of two ways. I can scan the image of anyone within range, normally without them even noticing. If I only have a few seconds I can capture their image and use it as a mask to make my escape. If I have a little longer I can record a voice sample which the watch then extrapolates and inputs into a built in voice synthesizer. That would allow me to not only look like the individual I have scanned, but to also sound exactly lie them as-well, right down to their accent."

"Yes, I can see how that would come in handy. Scan in any good prison guards recently?" She said with a smirk while he paused in his explanation.

"Oh you have_ no_ idea." He hissed as he leaned closer for a moment before starting the second part of his explanation, "That method is very useful but there are issues involved with running around wearing someone else's face. People n this city seem to know one another far too closely. I always end up bumping into someone who recognises the image I am wearing. That is _never _a fun experience..

"The other way is to scan in a base image and then edit the proportions and characteristics to suit my needs. I picked up the base image for this form in the Hospital while you were having treatment for your arm-"

"It was you! I thought it was the meds were making my mind go funny. You were there when I woke up, While Metro Man..." She cut herself off when she realised she had interrupted him to start talking about Metroman. She winced by way of apology and gestured for him to continue.

"Yes well, I used the image of some med student as a convenience for that day but I found that his general form fitted mine quite well. His characteristic were not so different so I tweaked it slightly. You humans are funny creatures, I can be standing right in front of you, looking at you with exactly the same face but different coloured skin and you don't have a clue who I am."

"_I_ do, I could tell the moment I saw you."

"Yes, well that is because you were meant to." He said simply as he pulled his hand back off the table and placed the closed menu on the table in front of him, "you seem to be able to see what others do not. Maybe you even see what isn't even there."

"That is not generally considered to be a good thing." Roxanne chuckled, "and I disagree. I think I see something very real. It's just that no one else ever bothered to look for it before."

"And what exactly is it that you think you see, Miss Ritchie?" Megamind leaned forwards across the table slightly, an unreadable look on his face as his voice grew quiet and soft. Roxanne felt herself drawn towards him and was starting to lean towards him.

"Are you ready to order?" Joe asked brightly as he came around the corner, not noticing how the couple at the table suddenly sat back in their chairs again. Roxanne's face was flushed slightly but Megamind sat back casually with a smirk on his face as he watched her sputter out her order.

...

"Is there anything else I can get for you?" Joe asked, the leisurely smile still on his face as they finished their deserts. After the pair shook their heads he nodded and cleared away their table, placing the bill down in a small leather pouch. Megamind quickly picked the bill up and produced a wad of notes held together with a gold money clip. He smirked at Roxanne's expression as he counted out the correct amount of money and placed it back in the leather pouch.

"That _is_ real isn't it? I would like to be able to come back here again." She asked with a raised eyebrow as she watched him put the rest of the money back in his pocket.

"I've never had a need to turn to counterfeiting, too traceable." He said matter-of-factly, "Money is one thing that Minion and I have never really had to worry about. Oh we have committed a few bank robberies but they have been more to prove a point than anything else."

"And what point is that?" She asked, genuinely curious.

"That I can take anything in the city, as if it were my own, on a whim." He shrugged, "plus it helps to remind people that I'm still around during the quiet periods between evil schemes. A bank heist is fairly low-budget."

"So it's stolen?" Roxanne wasn't really sure what was worse, being taken out on a date with stolen money or with counterfeit money.

"No, it's genuine." He said with a thoughtful frown, "Legitimately earned I assure you."

"Legitimately?" What, are you trying to tell me _you_ have a job?" She nearly burst out laughing at the thought alone. She couldn't imagine him ever pulling in a wage for anything.

"Come now Miss Ritchie," He said with a sly smirk, "I have to keep _some_ of my secrets. You should know by now that your nosey reporter skills do not work on me."

"Oh I think they have been working quite well so far." She chuckled as she decided to let him off the hook, if he didn't want to tell her then that was fine. She had his assurance that the money was kosher so that was enough for now.

"I'm glad you enjoyed your night Miss Ritchie, Sir," Joe nodded as he came to retrieve the bill, "Did you bring a coat tonight Miss Ritchie, the night has become quite cold."

"Oh shit!" She hissed under her breath, "No I didn't, but thanks Joe, I'll be fine." She stood up as the tall man bowed and backed out around the corner. Checking her watch, she was surprised to see it was already gone midnight. She cursed to herself again, The door man, Carlos, would have gone home for the night and would not be back until 5 AM.

"What's wrong?" Megamind asked, a concerned frown forming on his pale pink face as he stood up by her side.

"I left my coat in the news van after recording the report earlier. My keys were in the pocket. _Hal_ has it with him." She shrugged as her mind whirled, trying to find a solution, "My doorman will have finished work for the night, he wont be there to let me in. I'm locked out for the night it seems."

Megamind couldn't resist the slightly evil chuckle that bubbled up through his throat. Within seconds he found himself laughing outright, with Roxanne fighting the urge to chuckle alongside him. After taking a few deep breaths he finally managed to gain control of himself as he perched on the end of the table.

"Miss Ritchie," He said once he regained the power of speech, "I do believe that this disguise may even be fooling you! You seem to be forgetting who I am."

"What are you talking about?" She asked as her own fit of giggles died down into few quick chuckles.

"My _dear _Miss Ritchie," He said as he stood close at her side, his mouth near her ear, whispering, "may I remind you that I am Megamind. Incredibly handsome criminal genius and master of all villainy!" The hairs on the back of her neck pricked as he circled behind her, much like he used to do when she was at his mercy in the middle of one of his evil plans, he reached her other side and brought his mouth up the her ear, "Getting through a _locked_ door will not be an issue."

"Isn't breaking and entering a little petty for you?" She said in a breathless whisper as she turned her head slightly to look at him from the corner of her eye. She still couldn't quite make her mind up about this disguise of his, she found herself missing the unusual blue shade of his natural skin tone.

"Absolutely, that's why I never break anything," He smiled at her as he stepped back, allowing her to step out of the booth and into the main restaurant. It was deserted and the lights had been dimmed, allowing the quiet of the night outside to filter in through the frosted windows.

"Everything was perfect Joe, tell Tony I'll be back in next week as usual!" Roxanne said as the skinny man bowed again as he scuttled back into the booth to clean off the table before finishing for the night.

"I'm glad you enjoyed the evening Miss Ritchie. It's getting late, you and your gentleman friend be careful on your walk home. You never know who or what may be lurking in the shadows." He said as he leaned around the corner to talk to her. Joe always expressed his concern over her going home alone so late each night and he was obviously pleased to see that she would have someone to protect her from the dangers in the dark on this night.

"Goodnight Joe." She chuckled as she opened the door to the restaurant and stepped out onto the silent street.

"He's very _familiar _towards you, doesn't that bother you?" Megamind asked as he frowned back into the restaurant as the door closed behind him. He stuffed his hands into his pockets giving his a very fed-up appearance.

"No, not really. It's just the way Joe is." She smiled as she looked up and down the deserted street. The night had really set in and the temperature in the air had dropped by a considerable amount. "He actually reminds me of Minion. Joe just always wants to help in some way. He's always running round after Tony, cleaning things up and putting the finishing touches on everything. Not to mention he is always the one to take the blame if things go wrong. Tony is a lot like you in many ways but I really don't think you would appreciate the comparison if you saw him."

"Oh now I'm intrigued! What could you possibly be alluding to Miss Ritchie?" Megamind grinned despite his confusion. He just couldn't understand how someone could allow themselves to become so familiar with someone who couldn't really be considered an acquaintance. Minion was the only person he had ever really trusted, aside from a few of the prisoners who had raised him when he was a baby.

"Uh-uh. I've said too much to you already." She laughed as she shook her head and began walking towards her apartment building, "Now come on, I don't want to be wandering around in the cold all night."

"I'll get it out of you eventually, you know." He said as he smirked and followed her down the street, "I _am_ rather good a torture you know."

"HA!" Roxanne barked a laugh before she could stop herself, "_you_, good at _torture_? Not likely. As far as I can remember, you have never even been able to get me to scream, and I know how _badly_ you have wanted that, Mr Genius."

Megamind flushed violet as he not only struggled to form words into a witty comeback but to even think of anything remotely intelligent to say. She was bang on, of course. He had moaned and griped every time when she didn't so much as look concerned let alone scared. Looking back he wasn't entirely sure what he would have done with her if she had been the screaming, struggling damsel in distress he had always wanted her to be. That just wasn't her. He decided on the spot that he preferred her sarcastic feedback and outraged rants much more enjoyable than endless screams of terror.

"That's as it may be, Miss Ritchie," He said once he regained his composure and jogged up behind her, "but as every good villain knows, sometimes you have to change tactics to get the desired result."

"Oh, so have you '_changed tactics_'?" Roxanne asked as she watched him approach her from over her shoulder.

"Well, Miss Nosey Reporter," He said lightly as he caught up with her, "you'll just have to use those amazing investigative powers of yours to try and uncover the rest of my secrets."

"Is that a challenge?" She said, hoping that the blush she could feel spreading up her neck wasn't too visible under the yellow street lights.

"That depends on whether or not you would want to accept it." He said as he smirked at her, watching her out of the corner of his eye as she grinned and fussed with the bangs that fell over her eyes.

"We'll see." She said quietly as they walked in silence down the deserted street.

…

"Some genius." Roxanne muttered to herself. She was standing on the front steps of her apartment building, watching Megamind working on the electronic door lock. The key fob which would have instantly scanned her into the building was attached to the keyring that was more than likely sitting somewhere in Hal's apartment. Ever since the owners of the building had installed the system, Roxanne had neglected to memorise the 10 digit number that would have gotten her into the building without the fob.

"If you think you could do better then be my guest, otherwise, _shush_!" Megamind hissed as he striped the plastic covering off a collection of wires with his teeth. He had quickly removed the front of the unit from it's housing when they had reached the building but without any tools he was having some difficulty disabling the system without triggering the alarms. If he triggered the alarm by accident the building would be surrounded by cops within 3 minutes. He knew this from first hand experience from the first time he had Minion break in to the building to steal Roxanne away for one of their earlier schemes.

"I'm just saying, I would have thought something as simple as a door lock would have been child's pray for someone of your _amazing intellect_!" She smirked as she leaned against the wall looking down at him. He was down on one knee, at eye level with the lock as he carefully twisted two wires together. His tongue was sticking out of the corner of his mouth slightly as he frowned in concentration, only glancing up at her for a second before turning back to the delicate work.

"I could just leave it like this, you know, and head home. I'm doing you a favour here. I could have this open in a heartbeat if you didn't mind explaining the situation to the cops." The box sparked slightly as the doors slid open, a grin spreading across Megamind's face, "hold the door open." He commanded as he began to undo the alterations he had made to the wiring.

"What are you doing _now_?" She asked as she stood in the doorway, holding the sliding doors open with her back. She watched him quickly rewire the casing and screw it back into place using his fingernail.

"You obviously have not been paying attention Miss Ritchie." he said in a low voice as he stood up and moved to stand in front of her. "The whole point of this exercise was to get _you_ inside this building. If I left the lock the way it was then _any_ passing criminal would be able to get in." He moved in closer to her and lay his hands against her hips in a feather light touch. Before she knew what he was doing he span around, pulling her with him, until her back was pressed up against the wall of the inside of the foyer, the doors sliding shut and locking back into place with a soft click, "and you wouldn't want that now, would you?" His last statement had been said in little more than a breathy whisper as he leaned in close, nose to nose with her.

"No, I suppose not." She replied softly, he hands raising to lay against his biceps. She could feel the muscles in his arm twitch as his hands tightened slightly on her hips, "but just in case, maybe you could help me with the door to my apartment."

"Your wish is my command, Miss Ritchie." He breathed into her ear, before pulling back and sliding one hand around to the small of her back, guiding her over to the elevator. They rode up in silence, the hairs on the back of Roxanne's neck pricking as she felt his eyes on her back the entire time.

"I hope this one won't take you so long to open." She whispered as they reached her door, smirking as he again dropped to one knee in front of her, before retrieving a thin piece of metal from one of his boots. Never breaking eye contact with her, he slipped the implement into the key hole and twisted it about for a few seconds before hearing the lock click as it released. He smirked as he twisted the door handle and swung the door open, remaining on one knee as he swept his hand out in a grand gesture to allow her to enter first. She smiled and bowed her head slightly as she slipped past him, smirking down at him as she passed. She felt him stand up behind her and close the door softly, leaning back against it as he watched her kick her high heeled shoes off and wiggle her toes into the plush cream carpet.

A soft electrical buzzing noise filled the air for a brief moment, causing Roxanne to turn around just in time to see the image of the pale skinned man she had had dinner with blur into the far more familiar form of the blue super-villain. She smiled at him, noticing that the clothes he had been wearing as part of his human disguise matched the clothes he was wearing in his natural form. He looked shockingly good in 'normal' clothing, The Leather jacket he was wearing was unzipped, displaying the simple black button-up shirt that in turn managed to display a tantalizing amount of blue flesh at his neck and upper chest. He was still wearing black boots, but thankfully, they were not his usual knee high ones. Instead they came to just above his ankles, the bottom of his trouser legs bunched up above them. He was smirking as he watched her watching him, his light chuckle bringing her back to reality with a light blush.

"If you intend on coming in you will have to take those off first." She said airily as she pointed at his feet, "I don't want your boot prints all over my cream carpets. _Again_!"

"Evil is not concerned with leaving boot prints, Miss Ritchie."

"Well, right now you're not being evil, are you?" She asked as she watched him push away from the door and walk towards her, "please?"

"As you wish, Miss Ritchie." He said in a low voice as he stood in front of her. Never taking his eyes from hers, he sank down in front of her and unbuckled his boots as he watched her from under a raised eyebrow.

Roxanne was having trouble remembering how to breath properly as she watched him. For the love of God, he was only undoing his boots! How did he manage to turn a task like that into something that could make her heart race so quickly. She cursed herself as her tongue sneaked out to lick her lips as she watched him rise slightly, shifting his feet before he settled back down again to undo the other boot. His smirk grew as he caught the small movement. The look he was ending her was almost more than she could bear and she found herself reaching a hand out to his shoulder to steady herself.

"Is there anything else I can do for you Miss Ritchie?" He asked in a low voice, clearly aware of the affect he was having on her. He remained at her feet as he waited for her to regain her composure enough to reply.

"I take it back, you are most _definitely_ still being evil." Her voice sounded husky, even to her as she tried to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat. He stood slowly in front of her as he kicked his boots off his feet, her hand sliding off his shoulder and down his chest. Her fingers began to play with the buttons of his shirt, almost of their own volition as she was held in place by his eyes.

"Would you like me to stop?" He asked softly as his body seemed to drift closer to hers, his head tilting to one side as his eyes flicked away from hers to gaze at her lips, parted in a breathless pant.

"No, I don't want you to stop." She said quietly, her brain having a hard time putting everything that statement entailed into place. Her thoughts were cut off the moment his lips touched hers, a shock of feelings and emotions flooding through her as she responded instantly to the soft kiss.

The kiss quickly heated up as Megamind pulled her firmly against his body as he wrapped both of his arms around her. Her good arm was trapped between their bodies, her fingers flexing into the material of his shirt as her other arm reached around him lightly, resting on his hip as she lost herself in the kiss. It had the same energy and urgency as the first one they had shared, all of the pent up emotions rushing back to the surface as she found him wanting her just as much as she wanted him.

She wasn't aware the they had begun to move until her back was pressed up against a wall as he pressed his body into hers. One of her legs rose up the side of his, causing her dress to ride up her thigh as one of his hands found it's way down, curling around her knee and stroking up and down the smooth skin of her leg. She moaned into his mouth as she felt him push against her, clearly interested in following their current activities as far as they could go.

His lips left hers to trace a path across her jaw and to her ear, nipping gently on her earlobe before licking his way down to the soft skin of her neck. A soft growl escaped his throat as he felt her grind her hips into his and the hand at his chest began to undo the buttons of his shirt as best it could. He pressed against her firmly as he felt her pulse increasing as she hummed in the back of her throat. She tipped her head back against the wall, her throat bobbing as she swallowed against the dryness in her mouth, providing him with the prefect opportunity to attack her exposed throat with his hungry mouth. Roxanne was loosing herself very quickly under his attentions, responding to him in ways she never could have dreamed of. She was dangerously close to allowing this man to ravage her right here, practically against her front door!

"_Megamind_." She had meant to get his attention but his name left her lips in a breathless whisper that prompted him to rock against her once more, almost causing her to lose the last coherent thought she was managing to hold onto, "come upstairs with me."

The managed to cut through the fog in his mind and he paused, pulling back from her slightly to look at her. His breath was coming in shallow pants as he looked at her with hooded eyes. Her hair had become mused and her skin was flushed as the leg still cocked against his hip trembled slightly under his touch.

"Roxanne?" He asked, his lips almost touching hers as he remained pressed up against her, as close to her as he could get.

"Come upstairs with me?" She asked again as she pulled her arm from between them, bringing her hand up to his face and stroking his cheek. She ran her thumb down his immaculate goatee, her imagination taking over for an instant, giving her a very good idea as to what that little detail would feel like later on.

"Your wish is my command, Miss Ritchie." He said breathlessly as he leaned in for another kiss before releasing her leg and feeling her slide out from under him. She looked him straight in the eyes as she took his hand in hers before turning and walking slowly up the stairs towards her room, Megamind needing very little encouragement what-so-ever.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Teee heheheheeeee, sorry, but this one ends there. I have never written a full on smutty story but I am going to try for this one! It may take some time to update as it is not the sort of this I really want to rush out and as I have said before, this chapter is the last of the ones I had pre-written. The story is no where near finished yet._

_Thank you to everyone who has asked for one of those chapters. It's good to know that i'm not the only one out there who will ask for this stuff! lol. I promise I will do my best. If I do end up going 'all the way' (so to speak) then the rating change will be mentioned in the story description._

_see you next chapter. _


	12. Creature of the night

_Ok, you asked for it and here it is. Kids, time to stark skipping things now, ok? If you don't want to read the rude stuff then feel free to skip this chapter. There is not a lot of plot here. Needless to say the rating is up to M. This is my first attempt at this kind of thing, so it's more ... late night TV than big screen movie._

_So, read, review, and above all... enjoy._

* * *

><p>"Come upstairs with me." Her whisper finally cut through the fog of sensation that had settled over his brain. He was operating on pure instinct, the higher functions of him mind having checked out as soon as he had touched her. His fate had been sealed the moment she had touched him back. When her leg had risen up along his, bringing her closer to him that he had ever thought possible, he felt like he would never be able to form a coherent thought ever again. When her beautiful voice brought him slightly back into reality, all he could do was look at her, their noses almost touching.<p>

"Come upstairs with me." She said again softly as she stared into his eyes, her hand cupping his cheek and stroking his goatee. He could feel the slight tremble that spread through her body as she waited for him to answer.

"Your wish is my command, Miss Ritchie." He finally managed to say as he regained control of his voice. She smiled at him as she slipped out from his embrace and led him up the stairs by the hand, all thoughts of why she should not be doing this forced out of her head. She could feel his eyes on her as he followed her up the stairs in silence. Their heavy breathing the only sound in the dark of the apartment.

She let go of his hand to open her bedroom door and instantly found herself pulled back against his chest. A moan escaped her throat as he kissed and nibbled the shell of her ear. He chuckled as the soft sound she made was carefully recorded in his mind for future reference. He promised himself that he would be hearing that noise again very soon. The door to her bedroom finally opened, allowing the pair to step through without breaking contact. Megamind kicked the door closed firmly behind him as his lips once again found the sensitive skin of her neck and shoulder.

Roxanne's hand rose to curl around the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her and rubbing lightly along the base of his scull. His hands were busy doing some exploring of their own as the followed the flow of the smooth material of her dress. One hand was playing with the hem line, pulling it up and exposing more of the smooth flesh of her thigh, the very same thigh he had become so closely acquainted to moments before. His other hand was spread out over her stomach, holding her firmly against his as he feasted on the skin of her neck.

Roxanne could barely think as her body was flooded with feelings and sensations of such strong intensity, she felt like a teenager behind the bike sheds with her boyfriend. Here she was, stood in her bedroom with the city's mad scientist super-villain wrapped around her, showing her exactly what she had been missing for all of these years. She trembled in anticipation as his hands slid from around her, up to the halter-neck of her dress. She could feel him nuzzle into her hair as his long fingers made short work of the knot holding the front of her dress up, allowing the material to flutter down to hang around her waist, supported only by the zip at her lower back. That too was soon undone, allowing the silky blue fabric to fall gracefully to the floor to pool around her feet.

His hands were around her instantly, one hand dropping down to pluck at the top of her black panties while the other rose tentatively, his fingertips only slightly brushing the underside of her bare breasts. She felt him take a shuddering breath as he pushed against her back, his mouth stilling against her neck as his face stayed buried in the join of her neck and shoulder. Clearly feeling his hesitation, and possibly fear, she placed her hand over his, entwining their fingers as she guided his hand higher, sighing at the sensation of his palm covering her naked breast, just like she had imagined him doing so many times before.

"_Roxanne_." He breathed into her ear as his hand flexed against her, revelling in the feel of the soft flesh as he gently massaged it under his hand. That brought an entirely different noise from Roxanne as her head fell back against his shoulder. Encouraged by the lustful noise that escaped her lips, his other hand dipped lower over the material covering what lay between her legs. The application of gentle pressure from his fingers on that portion of her body brought an entirely unexpected reaction from her as her hand suddenly appeared between them, rubbing firmly against the front of his jeans.

He growled in her ear as he pulled her closer against him, increasing the pressure from her hand against the clear bulge that had formed between his legs. His entire body was on fire as he bit down on her shoulder, loving the gasping moan that was released from her parted lips.

"_Wait_." Her voice cut through the sensations he was feeling like a knife, his hands instantly detaching themselves from her as his body screamed at the loss of contact. He looked down at her, fear and confusion clear in his eyes. He had known he would do something wrong. All the theoretical research in the world could not make up for inexperience and it was that inexperience that had let him down _again_. Roxanne watched this play of emotions flash across his face as she turned to face him, before she pressed her mouth against his in a soothing kiss.

"It's not fair," She said in a breathless voice as she ran her hand up his chest and onto the exposed skin beneath his shirt, "you are wearing more clothes than I am." She said with a grin as she yanked the leather jacket down off his shoulders and attacked his neck with her own mouth as she pushed it down his arms and onto the floor.

"_Oh god_, Roxanne!" He hissed as one of his hands tangled into her hair as the other pressed against her lower back, pulling her against him before he felt her pull away to tug at the remaining buttons on his shirt.

"Lets even out the odds a bit." She said as she struggled to undo the buttons with her one hand. It didn't take long for his to cover hers, making short work of the buttons, leaving the black shirt open down to his waist. She looked up at him as she tugged suggestively at the waist of his jeans until he grinned at her and leaned in close, one hand on her back while the other undid the belt, button and zipper.

"Impatient little thing aren't you?" He said against her lips as he pulled her against him, kissing her deeply as she pushed his jeans down over his skinny hips, revealing the surprisingly ordinary black boxer shorts underneath.

"Are you complaining?" She asked as his lips left hers to travel down to her shoulder once again, her toes curling into the plush carpet of her bedroom floor as her felt his bare skin against hers at long last. His hands were roaming over her back as he pulled her up close, a rough growl vibrating his chest as her breasts pressed up against him. Roxanne brought her good arm up to the back of his head, pulling him closer against her as his teeth scraped deliciously across her flesh. His arms tightened around her as she traced a fingernail over the shell of his ear and across the flesh behind it.

A surprised squeak erupted from her mouth as his arms suddenly wrapped around the back of her legs as he lifted her straight up into the air, leaning back slightly to support her body. She giggled as she watched him nuzzle his nose into the valley between her breasts as he blindly walked forwards. She shrieked as she suddenly tipped backwards, landing with a bounce in the middle of her bed. She had barely regained her composure before he was above her, smirking as he chucked at her reaction.

"Oh, you are _evil_!" She grinned as she fought the urge to giggle herself as he covered her body with his, kissing his way down the column of her throat.

"Have you only just noticed, Miss Ritchie?" He asked as she wiggled around underneath him, pushing her underwear down her legs and kicking it away to land in some unseen part of the dark room. The light from the city filtered through the bedroom window, casting a yellowish glow on the ceiling, shining against the smooth skin of his back as he pressed down against her.

"Well, I can't say I've ever seen you like _this_ before." She said as she ran her hand over the curve of his back and shoulders, her injured arm resting against his hip, her fingers fluttering against the material of his boxers. He rolled off her quickly, bringing a shock of cold air to her heated flesh as he striped off his underwear and kicked off his socks before hovering over her again, nudging her knees apart and settling himself between her legs.

"And now that you have?" He asked with a smirk as he braced himself on his elbows, running his fingers tenderly through her hair as he made an attempt to catch his breath. She smiled up at him as she ran her hand across his cheek and down his neck to his shoulders.

"I think I've been underestimating you, Villain." Roxanne whispered as she dragged her fingernails across his back, "now it seems you have me at your mercy."

"Indeed it does, _Temptress_." He said as he brought his lips to her throat once again, placing excruciating light kisses across her pulse point before pulling back again to look her in the eyes, "The question is, now that I have caught you, what should I do with you?"

The question in his eyes was unmistakable, nearly melting her heart on the spot as she gazed up at him. Here he was, lying completely naked, ontop of her equally naked trembling body after giving her the most intense make out session of her life, and he was asking for _permission to continue_. Roxanne couldn't remember any of her former lovers treating her like this, _looking_ at her like this. She could see it in his eyes, if she asked him to stop he would, without question or complaint. It nearly broke her heart. As a hint of confusion began to leak into his eyes, she realised she was taking too long to answer him.

"Do your worst, _Villain_." She hissed as she wrapped her hand round the back of his neck, pulling his down for a fierce kiss as he relaxed onto her, his hands finally freely exploring her body as they pushed against each other. Her toes curled as she slid her legs along his, feeling his entire body press into the kiss.

"_Roxanne_," He breathed against her lips as he kissed his way over to hear ear once again, taking her earlobe between his teeth for a moment, "Roxanne, I'm serious. I don't... I mean, I'm not exactly... human."

Roxanne sighed lightly as she looked up at him. All of the confidence and bravado seemed to have been bottled back up again. This man never failed to surprise her, despite her claims of the opposite. These wild swings in his personality were astounding. The extent to which he put on a show, even now, was worthy of the highest of awards. She was suddenly reminded of every time she woke up from the knock-out spray to hear him in the middle of a conversation with Minion. The change in his voice when he realised she had woken up was almost as if there was a different person standing in the room with her.

She reached up and placed a gentle kiss on his lips, receiving a level of tenderness in return that completely contradicted the fire that had engulfed them up to this point. She smiled at the confusion in his eyes when she pulled away, one corner of her mouth tugging up into a smirk as his eyes snapped shut and a shudder racked his body as her fingers curled around his erection softly.

"I'll let you in on a secret, _I know_." She whispered into his ear as he trembled above her, "and that is what is so _extraordinary_ about you. But you know what? You don't feel so very different to me." She stroked him lightly, trying to imagine what he would feel like moving inside of her. It was true, he felt closer to 'normal' than she had expected, but as she thought about it she couldn't really say what she had expected. He was a normal shape, not what could be called 'big' but a wonderfully tasteful average. What was surprising was the texture of his skin. She had expected him to be smooth, just like the rest of his blemish free body. Instead his skin was covered in tiny bobbles giving him a vague roughness that promised all manner of new sensations.

"Just relax and go with it." She said softly as she wiggled against him, grinning at the answering thrust she received in response, "Just do what feels good."

"Relaxing is the last thing I want to be doing, Roxanne" He whispered when he regained the ability to speak. The feel of her hand against him was driving him crazy. She had no idea how close she was bring him to the edge of his control.

"Then come on Space-man." She said as she coaxed him closer to her, "show me what you've got!" She bit her lip as she watched the fire in his eyes surge to life again, that damn smirk spreading over his face once more as he pressed himself against her, rocking against her hand on impulse. He kissed her soundly on the lips as he positioned himself against her, her hand slipping away from him to wrap around his shoulders, pulling him against her firmly.

When he pushed into her, he felt as if the world was exploding around him. He had never imagined that something could feel quite as wondrous. The realisation that he was finally with the girl of his dreams heightened the sensation, causing him to tip his head back and moan a random collection of sounds into the dark of her bedroom. Her body arched underneath him as she clawed at his back, holding on for dear life as he began to move inside her. He could feel something building almost instantly, the scientific part of his brain that was trying to analyse these feelings was being smothered by the fog of sensation as he worked against her.

Her mouth was open in a soundless moan as she panted underneath him, bringing her hips up to meet his rhythm as one leg wrapped around him, bringing him as close as she could. The texture of his skin inside her was causing the most amazing friction and sensations, bringing her towards a climax faster than any man had ever managed before. Her entire body was on fire as she pulled his face down towards her. She smothered open mouthed kisses against his face and lips, the conscious part of her mind trying to silence his growing moans that were very close to becoming loud enough to wake her neighbours. His eyes opened as his rhythm became more erratic, one hand tangling into her hair as he moved, his face less than a few inches away from hers as he looked into her eyes.

"_Megamind_." She whispered against his lips. To his ears that was the most glorious sound he had ever heard. He had intended to reply with her own name but he couldn't be sure what sound actually made it out of his mouth.

Something inside of him snapped and he buried his face into the crook of her neck as he pushed against her desperately, trying to get himself even closed to her as the stars themselves exploded behind his eyes. Roxanne could feel his orgasm raging through her body and she hugged him to her tightly as she worked against him roughly. She arched against him as she felt his penis pulsating inside her in the most delicious way, pulling her over the edge of her own climax as his name left her lips once again in a breathless whisper.

She unwound her leg from his waist as he slowly pulled out of her, laying his trembling body down on top of hers and snaking his arms underneath her to hug her to him as he panted against her skin. His head rested against her chest as he lay in the afterglow of the experience, his eyes closed as he tried to regain his composure. Her hands ran gently up and down his back as he continued to shake slightly, waiting for him to recover from what she only half believed to be his first time.

He lay like that for a long time after his body had stilled, breathing deeply as her hands continued to trace patterns up and down his back and across the back of his head. As the glow she was feeling faded, she could feel exhaustion tugging at the edge of her consciousness and she found herself yawning deeply.

"Hey Tiger, you're not exactly the lightest person in the world, you know." She said softly as she attempted to stretch underneath him, her tired muscles complaining with every movement. With a tired moan he lifted himself off her slightly before rolling onto his back, pulling her with him as he went. As he shifted so that his head was against the pillows, Roxanne reached down for the twisted bedsheets, pulling them up over them as she settle down, laying her head on his chest and snuggling into his side. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close as he sighed. She could hear his heart thundering inside his chest as his hand that lay against the small of her back still trembled slightly from time to time. He turned his face to nuzzle his nose into the top of her head as he mumbled something she couldn't quite make out.

"Goodnight, Temptress." He whispered into her hair just before sleep took him.

"Goodnight, Space-man." She replied as she snuggled closer to him, laying her injured arm as lightly as she could before she drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep.

…

Roxanne couldn't remember the last time she slept to soundly. She was used to catching sleep whenever she could but was always all too aware that news happened whenever and wherever it wanted to happen. She was always unconsciously waiting for her mobile phone to ring, summoning her to do an on-the-spot broadcast no matter the time of day or night. Sometimes she could curse modern technology that allowed for 24hour news networks broadcasting every minuscule piece of rubbish that dared to call itself news. Gone were the days of the scheduled news programs and along with it her down time.

This time, however, she woke up from the most delightfully deep sleep to one of the best sensations she could ever imagine. Her memories of the night before drifted back into reality as the feeling of the arms wrapped loosely around her, gained her complete attention. She opened her eyes slowly, gazing sleepily at the blue skin that lay in front of her, his chest rising and falling steadily as he breathed softly in his sleep.

She had woken up somewhat like this before, on the morning after he had saved her from the explosion that destroyed the Metro Man Museum and she had saved his life after he nearly drowned in the town square fountain. This time, however, her mind swam with the memories of the fire and passion and tenderness of the night before when the pair of them had finally given in to all of the pent up feelings and emotions that they had been holding back for years. Now she lay curled against his side, her naked body pressed against his as her head lay on his chest. Her injured arm lay against his chest, her fingertips brushing his skin lightly as she lost herself in her thoughts.

"You are very distracting, do you know that?" His tired voice shocked her out of her musings, causing her to look up at his amused green eyes.

"Distracting from what? You were asleep!" She said with a chuckle as his hand drifted lightly up and down her back, a tired smile on his face.

"Yes, well it seems I can't even concentrate on being asleep with you around." He sighed deeply as he stretched the muscles in his neck.

"Oh, in that case I'll just go and let you concentrate." Roxanne said quickly as she moved to pull away from him, squeaking in laughter as she found herself being pulled back down to him firmly.

"You can't escape me that easily, _Miss Ritchie_." He said with a grin as he nuzzled his face into her hair, breathing in her scent deeply. After his arms relaxed around her again, she stretched out her cramped muscles. He watched her as she settled onto her back, hissing to herself as she stretched her aching shoulder. Megamind propped himself up on one elbow, looking down at her as one hand rested lightly on her hip, his thumb stroking against her skin absently. When she opened her eyes she found him looking down at her, a soft smile on his face.

"Good morning, Roxanne." He said quietly as he watched her relax into the pillows, wondering to himself why he had never attempted this before now.

"Good morning to you too." She said as she chuckled lightly, bringing one hand up to cup his face, a little thrill running down her arm as he leaned into her palm.

"Are you OK?" He asked, a serious look spreading over his face. She could see it in his eyes, he was asking is she was alright with what they had done last night. He was asking if she regretted anything, she found herself wondering once again how he could ever manage to make the entire world think that he was a cold, heartless villain.

She smiled honestly up at him before she reached up and captured his lips in a tender kiss. He pushed into the kiss, returning the gentle pressure eagerly before he released her to gaze down at her, a small smirk forming on his face.

"Hmmm," He said thoughtfully as his smirk turned into a frown, "that bad huh?"

She reached up to curl her hand around the back of his neck, pulling him down for a forceful kiss that had him wrapping both arms around her, pulling her up close to his chest. With a growl, Roxanne pushed herself up with one elbow, rolling him onto his back as she flung one leg over him, straddling his hips and pressing herself up against his body as she took control of the kiss. When she pulled away she hovered over him, their noses almost touching as they both panted.

"Did that answer your question?" She asked when she could finally remember how to form the words. He smirked wickedly at her as his hands tightened on her back and shoulders.

"I didn't quite catch that last part, I think I need you to repeat it for me." He said as he pulled her down for another long kiss, his hand working it's way up into her hair, pulling her close as he battled her for control.

They pulled apart sharply with a gasp as a piercing beeping suddenly filled the air. Megamind swore under his breath as Roxanne chuckled in frustration, curling her back up to rest her forehead against his chest before sitting up against his stomach and leaning over him to reach the alarm clock on her night-stand. She hit the unfortunate machine as hard as she could, shutting the noise off leaving Megamind with an unpleasant ringing in his ears. He lay there underneath her with a frown on his face as his fingers traced random patterns on the sides of her thighs.

"I thought you didn't have to work today." Megamind said, silently hoping that his voice didn't sound as whiny to her as it did to himself.

"No, it's my 'Minion Alarm'" She said with a small smile, "after I got out of the hospital, Minion insisted on making me a healthy '_healing_' breakfast every morning. He said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and if he didn't come over to make me breakfast then he would come in to my office every day to bring me lunch!"

"Ha! Yeah, that sounds like Minion!" Megamind laughed, unaware of the shiver that shot up Roxanne's spine as his stomach muscles contracted underneath her.

"He has turned up every morning at exactly 8AM! Something about it being the perfect time to eat breakfast, I don't know. So now I need to set my alarm for 7:30 every morning, just so I have time to hide anything I don't want him to see."

"Oh really? So what do you have around here that you don't want Minion to see?" he asked with a smirk as he rubbed his hands up and down her legs.

"Oh, I don't know." Roxanne said airily, "empty wine bottles, dirty laundry... any _gentleman callers_ that may have stayed the night..."

"Have many of them round do you?" He chuckled to himself as he watched her lean down, bringing her face closer to his.

"Well, there was this _one_ recently..." She smirked as she kissed him leisurely. The sensation still sent shivers through every part of her body, the raging fire that had fuelled them the night before was still there, but only running at a low ebb, just waiting for the right words, the right touch to send it surging back into life. "Come on, he'll be here soon and believe me, he has no problems with just walking on into my room and waking me up! I need a shower."

She rolled off him and climbed off the edge of the bed, his hands trailing over her skin as he sluggishly attempted to keep her where she was. She walked over to the door of her bathroom before turning to look at him, lying on his back on the bed with one arm thrown over his face. She smiled at the image and almost found herself chuckling. She realised with a rush that she was happier now than she ever had been the morning after a night with a new guy.

"Hey!" She said, getting his attention enough for him to look at her from under to cover of his arm, "I said I need a shower. Do you know how difficult it is to shower with my arm like this? I haven't been able to scrub my back in weeks, it must be absolutely filthy! You know it's a shame that Minion's suit is too big to fit inside my shower otherwise he would have been able to help. I guess I'll just have to ask someone else to help scrub my back... in the shower...under all that hot water, steam and bubbles..."

"Oh." Megamind said with a frown as he propped himself up on his elbows, "_Oh_! You mean..." He said as his voice took on an odd, squeaky quality before he coughed, trying to clear his throat.

"Yes,_ I mean_... now come on, before I change my mind." She grinned as he hurriedly clambered off the bed and was quickly by her side, stumbling over his own feet in his haste. He smiled down at her as she took his hand and led him into the bathroom and over to the shower unit.

Roxanne had never been so glad of her choice of bathroom fittings before in her life! The decision to install not only a large tub but also a big stand-up shower unit was a stroke of _genius_. She led him through the open doorway onto the wooden drying board before pulling a plastic cover over the cast on her arm, watching as he secured it around her upper arm tightly before she stepped backwards, drawing him under the shower head and turning the water on. When she looked back up at his face she found herself blushing furiously. The smile on his face and the look in his eyes as he gazed down at her was astounding. It was like he was seeing her for the first time.

"What?" Roxanne said in a lilting voice as she felt a helpless smile spread across her face. The warm water soaked through her hair quickly, sending rivulets of water cascading down her body.

"I think that you are, quite possibly, the most beautiful creature I have ever seen." He said quietly as he looked into her eyes. A shiver shot up her spine as the intensity of his expression hit home. He wasn't saying it like most men would when they look at a naked woman, he meant every word. He meant it about _her_, not just her body. She looked away, still blushing furiously, when his intensity became too much, chuckling something about him being silly.

"Roxanne," He said as he lifter her face to his once again with two fingers under her chin, "I don't think you realise how much you mean to me." He had no idea why he was confessing this to her, here, in the shower. Something inside of him was yelling at him to stop, that this was too much for her. It was too early. He was surprised that he had remained standing when she had looked away from him, he could feel everything beginning to fall around his ears.

"Megamind," She said after what felt like an eternity, "I don't know what this is, by rights this should not be happening!_ Lord knows_ if anyone finds out about this then all _hell_ is going to break loose!" She looked up at him again, the look in his eyes was heart breaking. He looked as if she had just trampled all over him. She found herself once again been reminded that this man lived his whole life behind a protective mask. She didn't know who he really was deep down, but she knew that he was someone worth knowing better.

"But you know what?" She said as he cupped his cheek in the palm of her hand, "I don't care about what anyone else thinks. I like you, Megamind, and god only knows how much I want you. So how about we just go with the flow and see where we end up together? I don't want to promise you anything that I can't give."

"You don't need to promise me anything, Roxanne." He said softly as he drew her in for a soft kiss, "being here with you, like this, is more than I ever dreamed possible." he closed his eyes as he rested his forehead against hers, holding her close as the water from the shower flooded own their bodies.

"OK," She said with a soft chuckle as she pulled away from him slightly, "who are you and what have you done with Megamind? Don't go getting all soft on me, Villain."

His answering chuckle sent a shiver down her spine as his arms tightened around her, his lips finding hers for a leisurely, lingering kiss. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled herself up against his chest as he leaned into the kiss, taking control and deepening it she bent backwards slightly. As he straightened up she broke away from him abruptly with a shocked gasp as something horrendously cold suddenly made contact with her shoulders. He chuckled evilly at her as he smirked from under a raised eyebrow, his hands beginning to massage the cold shower lotion into her skin.

"I thought you said you wanted me to scrub your back?" He said as his smirk drifted into a sly smile, "turn around, Miss Ritchie."

"You know," she said with a nervous smile as she did as she was told, "I'm not sure if this was a good idea. You're making me nervous." She winked over her shoulder at him, smiling at the mischievous grin that spread on his face.

"Your fate has been sealed, _Miss Ritchie_. Now, it would serve you well to be a good little captive and submit to my _evil_. Unless, of course, you_ want_ me to tie you up again."

"Mmmmhmmmm." She moaned as his strong fingers began to work into her neck and shoulders, rubbing the creamy lotion into her skin, "Maybe later, if you're lucky."


	13. Good morning sunshine

_Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I got such a good reaction from it... it was just amazing! I will get around to answering you all as soon as I can, promise. That was my first attempt at writing a smutty chapter...and this is my second! The M rating is sticking around the this chapter so be warned. If you dont want to read the M rated stuff, then stop reading once they start taking clothes off! _

_There is a little bit of plot in this chapter, but not a great deal other than two people enjoying their first work free weekend together. This chapter also answeres a few questions that reviewers have brought up, so thank you to you people for reminding me that my readers are not all psychic_

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><p>Roxanne smiled to herself as she self-consciously fussed with her wet hair before padding barefoot down the stairs, making sure that her black bath robe was firmly secured around her waist. She turned briefly to look up the stairs out of the corner of her eye. She could practically still hear him, muttering away to himself. She hadn't meant to lead him on, honestly she hadn't. His hands had been doing a fantastic job of convincing her to stay in that shower with him, but the sound of her front door opening and Minion's eternally happy voice calling out for her had brought her back down to earth. One reason that she had insisted on living alone ever since she left college was the fact that she had always thought it incredibly rude to <em>entertain<em> a gentleman caller with other people in the house. It was a sentiment that her college house mates never seemed to share.

"Good morning Minion." Roxanne said with a yawn as she pulled herself onto a kitchen stool and rested her chin in the palm of her hand, her elbow braced on the counter top.

"And to you, Miss Ritchie!" Minion said as he set to work cooking her breakfast, just as he had done every morning since she had checked herself out of the hospital. This time, however, he sounded a little strained, not to mention the fact that he seemed to be refusing to turn and look at her.

"Minion?" Roxanne asked as she sat up straighter, "Are you OK?"

"Of course Miss Ritchie. Why wouldn't I be?" There was something in his voice, something he was trying to hide. Over the years of being kidnapped over and over again, Roxanne had gotten to know Minion quite well. At first she had used her training as a reporter to weed as much information as she could out of him, but in the end she found herself enjoying her conversations with him. He was always so gracious, if it wasn't for the ropes and chains then she would have felt like an honoured guest. She had gotten to know him very well, well enough to know when he was upset about something and trying to hide it.

"Minion, come on." She said gently as she stood behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder, "What's wrong?"

"Sir spent the night here, didn't he Miss Ritchie?" He said quietly as his robotic hands gripped the cooker top in front of him. His shoulders were hunched and still he refused to turn to face her.

"Well, yes." She said, getting the hint very quickly that he didn't exactly see this as a good thing, "but, you don't need to worry, Minion. He's OK, he'll be down in a few minutes."

Minion muttered something that Roxanne couldn't hear as he pulled away from her. He pulled open the refrigerator door with far more force than necessary and proceeded to inspect it as if his life depended on an intimate knowledge of it's contents. Roxanne just stood there, frowning at the back of his suit as she waited for his body language to give her a way in.

"Minion, I don't know wha-"

"This is _not supposed to happen_!" He said sharply, spinning in his dome to face her with his teeth bared. Roxanne actually took a step backwards. She had never seen him looking quite so predatory before.

"What isn't?" she asked as she reminded herself that this was Minion she was talking to, Minion who would be torn up if he stepped on a spider.

"This! It isn't supposed to happen this way, this is not how the story is supposed to run!" Minion's hands fisted at the sides of his dome, as if he was pulling on his hair, "We are the _bad guys_, we have _always_ been the bad guys! I don't mind him wanting to help you after what happened back at the Lair and at the museum, but this, _this_? This is not supposed to happen! It just _isn't_! The bad guy does _not get the girl_!"

The silence that stretched from that one strangled yell was almost tangible. Roxanne stood there, barefoot and wearing a bath robe, her hair still dripping wet, not knowing what to say.

"So," She said after a long moment, "What, exactly, _is_ supposed to happen?"

"We come up with a plan, we kidnap you, we call out Metro Man, we throw Sir's latest invention at him, we get defeated, you get saved and Sir goes back to prison to come up with the next plan!" Minion sounded like he was on the verge of crying as he flung his arms out carelessly, "That is how it is supposed to be! That is the way it is supposed to stay! Sir is the bad guy. The bad guy is _never_ supposed to win." He finished off in a pathetic murmur as the hot flash of anger and frustration burned through his system.

"Please tell me you've never said this to Megamind!" Roxanne whispered as she rubbed her forehead with her fingers, the beginning of a headache were forming behind her eyes, "because that has got to be the single most idiotic thing that I have ever heard you say."

"But it's _true_! Miss Ritchie, I know it must sound strange to you, but Sir has based his _entire life_ around being the bad guy. It's his _destiny_! It is all he is and it is all he ever can be!" He said it with such conviction that Roxanne found herself needing to sit down. She looked up at the small fish in his giant robotic suit with an incredulous look on her face.

"Well, Minion," She said at last, her voice strained, "if you have really been telling him that all these years, then maybe you aren't the kind of friend to him that I thought you were."

"All I have _ever_ done is try to keep him happy and safe!" Minion snarled, bearing his teeth at her. The anger displayed by his tiny body didn't reach his eyes which looked more worried and haunted than they had ever done before.

"Sometimes that isn't enough!" Roxanne stated firmly, trying to keep her voice calm, "Sometimes, a friend needs to be the one who tells someone what they need to hear, not just what they want to hear."

"What are you saying, Miss Ritchie?" Minion asked as he took a few calming breaths, bubbles fizzing around him as he tried to bring himself under control, "Do you actually think he can change?"

"Yes Minion, I do." She said softly as she slid off the stool once again to stand in front of him, "In fact, I think he has already. It isn't my place to tell him what he should and shouldn't be doing, but I think, that for the first time since I met you guys, I'm beginning to see the person he really is, not just the person he thinks everyone believes him to be. We need to give him the chance to find his feet."

"But it isn't that simple!" Minion pulled away from her as his voice rose to a high pitched squeak, "Just because he has changed his mind about one thing, doesn't mean that everything will be OK! I just don't want him to get hurt! I've seen the way he looks at you, I've told him that this is dangerous! If people find out about this they they will force you to leave and then he'll-"

"That's enough, Minion." Megamind's soft yet authoritative voice cut the fish off in mid rant. He was standing at the foot of the stairs, one hand griping the bannister firmly as the other was fisted inside the pocket of the fluffy white bath robe he was wearing. Roxanne resisted the sudden urge to giggle. She had forgotten already that she had left him up there with only her white bathrobe to preserve his dignity, deliberately having taken the luxurious black bath robe for herself. The look on his face sobered her up quickly as she tried to meet his eyes. He was staring intently at Minion, his face unreadable as the muscles along his jaw flexed. After a draw out silence, during which no one seemed to even be breathing, Megamind sighed as he rubbed his forehead with his fingers.

"So, what's for breakfast? I'm starving!" He said as he moved towards them, sliding onto a stool, resting his head in his hands.

"Oh, errm..." Minion said as he span around in his bowl, "well, Sir, I have eggs, bacon, tomatoes... errm, I can make waffles if you'd like..."

"That sounds fine, Minion." He said in a tired voice before Minion could have time to continue his list. He sent a patient look to his long-time friend as the stammering fish turned meekly back towards the cooker and made a start on breakfast. Roxanne felt as if she was glued to the spot as she watched them interacting in a way she had never seen before. They had hardly said two words to each other yet it looked like they had had a full blown conversation. She could see the tension in minion's body as he fussed with his cooking while Megamind simply sat there with his eyes closed and his head resting on one hand. She was still studying his profile, wondering if she should leave them to it, when he was suddenly looking at her out of the corner of one eye.

A small smile spread on his face as he nodded his head to one side, gesturing for her to come closer to him. She smiled back as she stepped closer to him, running her hand across his back and shoulders as his free arm wrapped around her, pulling her closer. He shifted on the stool, turning to face her and reaching out for her injured hand, bringing it up to his lips as he kissed her fingers lightly. A tremble shot up her spine and she found herself having to lean a little on him in order to stay standing. His eyes seemed to be glittering as he looked up at her through his eyelashes and mouthed a silent thank you against her skin. She smiled at his as his other hand drifted up to the back of her neck, pulling her in for slow kiss. Roxanne found herself blushing furiously when she pulled away from him, casting an embarrassed look at Minion.

"I suppose you think this is funny, do you?" Megamind asked in a low voice as he put on his best disapproving villain face. She found it very hard to keep a straight face at the best of times when he turned that look on her, and she found herself breaking out into an unstoppable grin.

"what?" She asked, a giggle causing her voice to quiver slightly.

"Come now, Miss Ritchie," He said as he raised that damn eyebrow of his, a smirk forming on his lips, "you should know by now that such tricks will not work on me. You think that forcing me to wear this...attire, will weaken my evil? Well, I'm sorry to inform you my dear, that your plan has failed"

"What plan?" She giggled as she ran her hand along the collar of the bath robe he was wearing, "I happen to think you look pretty good in white."

"And you look absolutely _wonderful_ in black, as I believe I have been saying for quite some time." His smirk suddenly turned into a truly devilish grin as he pulled her close against him, his legs dangling from the stool lay either side of hers, "Oh just picturing you wearing my cape..." He left that comment handing in the air as he pulled her in for a firm kiss as one hand tangled into her hair at the back of her head.

"_A-hem_." Minion coughed in a less than subtle manner as he turned towards them, placing two plates of full English breakfast on the counter top. Roxanne pulled away from him with a sigh as she lifted herself into the stool next to his, shifting to sit closer to him and kicking off one of her slippers so she could run her bare foot up and down his leg. He responded to her by firmly running one hand up and down her thigh, a good portion of her leg exposed by the split in the fabric before he tucked into the hearty breakfast hungrily.

"Mmm!" He hummed suddenly as he forced a half-chewed lump of food down his throat, "that reminds me! Minion, what do you think you are doing, coming here so early in the morning?"

"Errm, well sir..." Minion said carefully, not really sure where the odd question had come from, "you said that I was too take care of Miss Ritchie while her arm is still-"

"No no _no_! That is _not _what I mean and you know it, Minion!" He said firmly as he brandished his fork at the fish, "Have you forgotten about the 10AM rule?" The fish coloured, as if her was blushing as he bobbed lower in his tank, "You did! You did forget! Oh Minion!"

"I'm sorry! But everyone knows that eating properly is the best way to heal and breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Human metabolism works strongest in the morning that makes 8am the best time of day to have a meal that will set you up for the rest of the day!" Minion babbled nervously as his robotic arms gestured wildly.

"I'm sorry, what?" Roxanne asked, shaking her head slightly and blaming her ineloquent response on not quite being fully awake yet.

"During the early days, when we had just started using you to get to _Wonderboy_, we realised something pretty quickly about you." Megamind said as he tilted his head to look at her, "You, Miss Ritchie, are generally quite _grouchy_ in the mornings."

"What?" Roxanne yelled, a little louder than she had intended, "I am _not_!"

"Oh-ho-ho yes you are my dear! We found that if we kidnapped you too early then you would be _absolutely_ impossible to work with! So, I put a rule in place that meant that any and all kidnapping activities would be suspended until 10AM each and every morning."

"12am on weekends" Minion said helpfully.

"_Exactly_! This not only gave you time to recover from you nights sleep, and we would be able to enact our fiendish plans with a greater rate of success." Megamind said triumphantly before turning his gaze back to Minion, "So, you can imagine my surprise when I learn that you have been coming here at 8am _every morning_! Frankly Minion, I'm surprised you are still alive!"

"Oi, mister! I am not that bad in the mornings!" Roxanne said as she jabbed him with her fork before turning back to the plate of food.

"Oh I think you'll find you are, Miss Ritchie. Believe me, I remember every one of your kidnappings and the early morning ones always turned out the worst!" Megamind said triumphantly, as a bowed his head with a flourish as if accepting a round of applause.

"You what?" She blinked at him before looking back to Minion for confirmation. The fish had a tentative smile on his face, the tension in the room having been long since broken by the light hearted banter.

"Sir has kind of a... photographic memory." He said helpfully as he put two glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice down in front of them, "It doesn't work for everything, just the important things, or with stuff that he thinks he needs to remember."

"So, I'm an important thing, am I?" She turned back to the blue alien and couldn't resist fluttering her eyelashes at him. She grinned as a slight blush spread up his neck before he smirked and looked at her from the corner of his eye.

"You have no idea." He said quietly before turning back to his meal, seemingly unwilling to divulge anything further. They ate in silence for the rest of their breakfast as Roxanne stole the occasional glance at the man sitting beside her and tried not to look up at the obviously concerned Minion.

Minion barely managed to suppress the sigh that threatened to break free. He felt like he was been pulled in two different directions, something he hadn't felt since they were both children, struggling to find their way in the world outside the prison walls. When he had been handed over to the tiny blue child, on the day their planet died, he was told that his one purpose in life was to take care of this boy. To make sure he was safe. To make sure he was happy. Minion watched his boss sneak a few sly glances at the woman sitting next to him and vice versa. He looked tired, exhausted even, but Minion was having a hard time remembering a time when the man had ever seemed this happy before. He was relaxed and still and just content to be in that one place which was a very rare thing indeed.

Minion turned away from the pair and squeezed his eyes shut, praying to any deity that was listening that when he opened them, things would have gone back to normal. He could tell how happy Megamind was and that was what was so terrible about the situation. Megamind was used to falling hard after every failed plot. He would sulk for days until a new idea struck him that could not possibly fail. But no matter how happy Megamind had ever been when unleashing his newest and greatest weapon, he had never been this happy before. Minion shuddered to think what would happen when the man fell from this.

After muttering something about checking that no one had blocked the alleyway where he had parked the car, Minion stomped out of the kitchen and past the pair who were still trying not to look at each other. Minion rolled his eyes as they barely seemed to hear him as he walked behind them and out onto the balcony, shutting the doors swiftly behind him. Megamind put his knife and fork down and pushed his plate away from himself quietly. With a sigh he stood up as he frowned at the balcony doors.

"Hey," Roxanne said, bringing his attention back onto herself, "He's just worried, go easy on him."

"You know," Megamind said as a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. His hand came up to cup her cheek as she looked up at him, "I really don't know what I did to deserve you, but I hope I keep on doing it."

He leaned down and lay a soft kiss against her lips before pulling away and wordlessly walking towards the balcony doors. Roxanne stood and respectfully moved out of view from the glass doors which were now letting in the first light of the new dawn. She began to tidy the kitchen away as she tried to force herself not to try to listen to their conversation. The reporter in her seemed to be plotting with her inner child in an attempt to get her to stand behind the curtain and put her ear to the glass to listen to their conversation.

"Minion!" Megamind's voice filled the small apartment in a hissed stage whisper as the balcony doors flew open and Minion hurried through the apartment, turning the dial on his watch as he went. It was a strange thing indeed to see Minion's bulky form, stomping through her lounge as he shimmered into the form of the scrawny blond haired young man that her neighbours had gotten to know as Gill. Megamind quickly chased after the fleeing fish, trying to yell at him to stop but also trying to be as quiet as possible. Roxanne shook her head as she watched the pair disappear out into the hallway.

"Minion! _Minion stop_! That's an order!" Megamind hissed as he ran into the emergency stairwell, the door slamming shut behind them. Minion stopped instantly, grabbing onto the rail firmly as his human disguise shook slightly. The blond boy's face was flushed as he turned back to face his boss, obviously trying to keep the emotions from showing on his face.

"Sir?" Minion asked obediently, as if he had simply been summoned to do his masters bidding on some yet unknown task. Megamind winced at the look in his friends eyes. There was a heady mix of hurt, betrayal and anger all of which only managed to confuse Megamind even more.

"What has gotten into you?" The blue man asked after a few moments to steady himself and catch his breath after the short sprint. Minion's trembling amplified until he seemed to explode into an agitated mass of nervous energy.

"This is all just so _wrong_ Sir! Miss Ritchie is our hostage! I know you think she has never been Metro Man's girlfriend but the entire City thinks she _is_! What will happen when people find out? The city will turn against her! You know what these people are like!

"I know that you like Miss Ritchie, believe me, it's so obvious that I can't believe I didn't see it sooner. But you know that the bad guy isn't supposed to get the girl! I like her too, she's always been nice to me, but...Oh Sir, I just don't want you to get hurt!"

"No one needs to know, Minion! Trust me, it will be fine!" Megamind said in a whisper as he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, "Look, Minion. I really don't want to get into this now and you know I hate arguing with you! I'm asking you to please _trust me_."

"Always, Sir." Minion said quietly after a long pause before he turned away with a tight smile and moved quickly down the stairs. Megamind stood there for a long moment, listening to the metallic ringing of the metal emergency staircase as Minion reached the bottom and slipped out of the door into the alleyway outside.

Minion's reaction was something he hadn't considered. Not that he didn't care about what his best friend thought of the situation, he just never anticipated this level of feeling. He realised that he had been underestimating Minions depth of emotion for a long time, simply expecting the fish to go along with everything he said and did with the same happy abandon that he had always displayed. Megamind didn't even need both hands to count the number of times Minion had openly spoken against a plan. With a sigh and a self-conscious cough, Megamind tugged at the collar of the fluffy white bath robe and hurried silently beck to Roxanne's apartment.

Closing the door quietly behind him, and thanking whatever higher power that seemed to be looking out for him at the moment that he hadn't met any of the other inhabitants of this floor on the way back, he scanned the lounge and kitchen but could find no sign of her. As he moved further into the apartment the swish of the thin curtains at the balcony doors caught his attention. She stood outside, bathed in the yellow glow of the dawn sunlight as she leaned against the wall of the balcony, another cigarette perched on her lips. He frowned slightly as he watched the smoke curling into the cold air. He hadn't lied when he told her he didn't smoke, and if he was honest the few drags he had taken on the one he had stolen from her had nearly caused him to dissolve into a bout of very undignified coughing. The packet he had liberated from her possession has been disposed of as soon as he had the chance.

All thought of Minion forgotten, he pulled the hood of the bath robe up over his head as he slid out of the door like a ghost, padding barefoot on the concrete floor until he was standing just behind her. He smiled as he watched her looking out over the city as she blew a few smoke rings out into the morning air.

"You haven't been listening to me, Miss Ritchie." He said in her ear, chuckling lightly as she jumped before sending a glare at him over her shoulder, "I told you that this is bad for your health." He reached around her, taking the cigarette from her hand before stubbing it out on the wall.

"Oh fine! Spoil my fun why don't you?" She said with a smirk on her face as his arms wrapped around her, pulling her back up against his chest.

"I'm sure I can find a way to make it up to you." He said in a low voice as his lips brushed against her neck. Her head fell back against his shoulder as a quiet moan left her throat when his teeth grazed her sensitive skin.

"Wait, no, what if someone sees you out here!" She said suddenly as her head snapped up to survey the surrounding buildings cautiously. He chuckled into her ear as he nuzzled his way across the back of her head to pay attention to the other side of her neck.

"Well, they would be getting a show then wouldn't they?" He said as a plan formulated in his mind and a wicked smirk spread across his face.

"Heh! I should have known you would be into-" She cut off her own sentence as the action his hands were taking suddenly registered in her brain, "Hey, what are you-NO!" She squealed as the knot in the belt securing the robe closed around her waist was suddenly hanging loose before it was pulled quickly from around her with a soft swishing noise. She grasped hurriedly at the now open robe and pulled it closed over her nakedness before turning to him with a fierce look on her face.

Megamind was grinning like an idiot as he backed away from her. The black belt thrown around his neck as he pulled both ends down in front of him. He raised an eyebrow at her and sent her a look that made her almost turn to mush on he spot.

"Oh, I'm sorry, does this belong to you? He said innocently as he reached the balcony doors, "If you want it back, you'll have to come and take it from me." He slinked back into the apartment and disappeared behind the reflection in the glass. She could hear what she assumed was supposed to be maniacal laughter drift from inside her apartment as she followed him in, trying to suppress a grin. He had moved to sit on the sofa and was absent-mindedly winding the black belt around his hands as he watched her move to stand in front of him. She held out one hand in a silent command to give her back the belt

Megamind smiled as innocently as he could as he held it out to her, stretched in-between- his hands as he watched her intently. The moment she shifted her weight slightly to lean forwards and take the belt from him, he struck. He quickly twirled the material around her wrist, binding it securely before he tugged her down onto his lap with a surprised squeak. Without a moment's hesitation he looped one arm up over her head so that the material of the belt was wrapped around her back, pulling her arm behind her and securing her in place against him. He kissed her soundly as she regained her balance as she sat in his lap, her legs curled underneath her straddling his thighs. Her robe had opened partly in the scuffle, giving him a very tempting view of the creamy flesh in-between her breasts.

"You couldn't resist tying me up, could you?" She purred as they parted for air, squirming slightly against him into a more comfortable position. His eyes closed as he groaned softly as she moved against him, his fingers fanning out against her hips, pulling her firmly up against his body.

"Oh you have no idea of the things I've wanted to do with you every time I had you tied to that chair!" He grinned as he nuzzled against her throat. He grinned as he felt her chuckle vibrate inside her throat against his lips.

"Things you wanted to do _with_ me, or _to_ me?" Roxanne asked softly as the fingers of her free hand danced along the column of his neck.

"Oh with, _definitely_ with!" He growled as his teeth grazed the exposed flesh of her neck. His hands moved up her back slightly and tugged the material down off her shoulders as she shrugged out of it. Roxanne's head fell back as Megamind began to nuzzle his face tenderly into her exposed chest, his kisses and licks leaving a tingling sensation that spread to every part of her body. Megamind frowned as the black material tangled annoyingly around the belt that still bound Roxanne's hand behind her back preventing him from exploring her body to the extent that he wanted to.

"Hmmm," He hummed deep in his chest as he pulled away from her slightly, "It seems that you have somehow managed to foil my plans once again Miss Ritchie."

"Well, in that case, you might as well untie me." She said as she fluttered her eyelashes at him, delighted with the shiver that she could feel shoot up his spine.

"And allow you to escape? Now why would I do something like that?"

"Because if you do," She said as she leaned forwards, placing a few wet kisses against his neck, "I promise I will be a very," She continued kissing her way up the column of his neck until she reached his ear, "_very_ good little captive."

"Roxanne." Megamind breathed as he turned his face to meet her in a fierce kiss. His tongue slid past her lips and tasted hers as the kiss deepened. The tension on the belt around her lower back suddenly relaxed as Megamind freed one of his hands to tangle it into her short hair, pulling her closer to him as he lost himself in the kiss. Roxanne quickly pulled her hand out of the loop of the belt and untangled her arms from the robe that was now draped loosely around her waist. Megamind pulled the rest of the black robe out from under her and threw it to the floor at his feet, leaving her completely naked as she knelt in his lap, rising slightly against him in an attempt to take control over the kiss. She insistently tugged the belt of his robe open and pulled the white material down off his shoulders before leaning back slightly as he struggled to pull his arms free from the fluffy fabric.

"You know, I still say you look pretty good in white." Roxanne said as she pulled away from him after sucking firmly on his top lip.

"And you look _amazing_ in black, but to tell you the truth, you look _absolutely fantastic_ out of black as well!" He said in a low voice as a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, "Should we..." He nodded his head back towards the bedroom as he ran his hands up and down her thighs, his thumbs tickling at her hips whenever they came into range.

"Hmmmm," Roxanne moaned slightly as she planted a quick kiss on his lips again before pulling away with a quick rub of her nose up against his, "no, I think here is absolutely fine."

He laughed slightly at the look of pure mischievousness that had taken over her expression as she ran her hand up and down his bare chest. The white bath robe was still providing a barrier between them in the most important place as it remained trapped between their bodies, neither one prepared to break contact for long enough to pull it away.

"What, you mean..." He waggled his eyebrows at her in a manner that turned out more funny than suggestive, causing her to dissolve into a giggle fit once again, "why _Miss Ritchie_, I never knew you were into that sort of thing. You do realise that anyone could see in through those windows?"

"No one can see in at this time of day," She said when she managed to sober herself up a bit, she desperately tried to keep a hold of her thoughts as Megamind's clever tongue found the pulse point in her neck once again and began to play against it, "besides...too tell you the truth, doing it here... would be a first for me as well." He paused his treatment of her neck to pull back just far enough to look her in the eyes once again before a devilish grin spread across his face.

"I see, well in that case Miss Ritchie, are you sure you want me to... corrupt your innocence?" He asked in a silky voice that would have made her melt even if he had been quoting from the phone book. When all she could do was nod in response his grin grew wider as he pulled her down against him for a long and slow kiss, "Then I guess we shall have to figure it out together, wont we?"

"I think we can manage that." She said as she rose up onto her knees in front of him, allowing him to lift his hips up off the seat of the sofa just enough to pull the robe awkwardly out from under himself. As soon as she was settled back down against him, he was lost. Both of his hands ran up and down against her spine as her hand curled around the back of his head, massaging the base of his skull and sending shivers down his spine with each press of her fingers.

Roxanne pulled away from their kiss with a silent gasp as his lips travelled down the exposed column of her throat, her head tipping back as she lifted herself up against him before tilting his face up to look him in the eye. She held his gaze as she lowered herself down on top of him, both of their mouths open in a breathless gasp as she surrounded his throbbing erection with her warm core. The sensation of his deliciously rough skin against her smooth inner walls was excruciatingly blissful as he positioned himself beneath her so that he was buried in her as far as he could go. They stayed that way for a long moment, gazing into each others eyes and simply breathing each other in as the world slowly came back into focus.

She began slowly, one of her hands cupping his cheek while the other traced random patterns up and down his arm with her fingertips, matching the slow rhythm she had settled into, her eyes never leaving his. She kept her face just inches away from his as she rose and fell steadily against him, his hands anchoring her and flexing against her hips with each stroke. His own hips rose and fell in perfect rhythm, thrusting deeper into her as that same intensity he had felt the night before began to build once more inside of him. Unable to resist it any more, he broke eye contact and latched his mouth onto her neck, kissing and licking and nipping at her pink flesh as her pace increased against him and her breath became little more than hitching gasps against the top of his head as she held him close. One of his hands slid from her hip to cup her breast as his face nuzzled into the hollow under her jaw.

"Roxanne, oh god _Roxanne_." He found himself muttering into her skin as her pace became quicker and more erratic as her heart hammered inside her chest. He wanted to tell her everything, tell her of every feeling that he had ever hidden from her. He wanted to make her understand exactly what she was to him, and exactly how much he would do for her if she only asked. He wanted to tell her all of this and more but one word that spilled from her lips in a shuddering whisper wiped every intelligent thought out of his head.

"_Megamind_." She felt as if her heart was going to explode out of her chest as she braced herself with her injured arm against his abdomen, trying to maintain the quick pace she had built up to. She found that she could no longer concentrate on her rhythm. The sound of his voice, the tough of his hands and the rise and fall of his hips underneath hers became more than she could cope with as his name tumbled from her lips in a breathless whisper over and over again. She gasped as his hands tightened at her hips, maintaining her movements as he pushed up into her with desperate, forceful thrusts. She arched her back, pushing her chest against his as his angle inside her changed, causing something inside her to break apart and explode within her in such a wave of intense pleasure that every thought save one was banished from her mind. The only thing that cut through the crashing waves of her orgasm was him. This wonderful, inexplicable, unpredictable blue creature between her thighs that seemed to be able to awaken something inside her that no one else had ever managed to tap into.

She could feel his own orgasm racking his body and causing every muscle in his tightly compact body to quiver in his release. His head was tilted back against the sofa, his mouth open as he breathed in gasping breaths, his pink tongue poking out a little between his parted lips. The temptation was too great for Roxanne to resist as she leaned into him and captured his lips in a mind blowing, if a little uncoordinated, open mouthed kiss. His hands finally relaxed against her hips and began to massage the red patches on her skin which he had undoubtedly caused. Pulling away from the kiss, she nestled her head into the join of his neck and shoulder as she panted against his skin, allowing the intensity of her release fade from her body as she waited for him to recover underneath her.

"I'm not sure if ..." He said eventually in a breathless voice, having to pause to inhale deeply as he turned his head to place a tender kiss on her forehead, "I believe that you have never done that before, my dear."

She chuckled as she spread the palm of her hand flat against his chest, gliding it up and down over his hairless skin. Her reeling mind chose that moment to ponder the reason why he didn't have a single strand of hair anywhere on his torso, arms or legs, yet he had an incredible intriguing track of silky fine, short black hairs trailing from just below his belly button, down to his crotch, fanning out as they tracked further south. It matched his goatee perfectly and she found herself blushing furiously as her hand followed her thoughts and began rubbing small circles against his abdomen, tracing through the thin trail of hairs before boldly slipping lower.

"Keep that up my dear and you might just find yourself on your back on the coffee table." He mumbled into her hair as he took a shuddering breath. That breath was pulled from his lungs in a hiss as she shifted on top of him releasing him from her grip as she shifted one leg over him to sit more comfortably curled up against his chest.

"Hmmmm," She hummed happily as she settled against him, his arms wrapping around her tenderly, drawing random patterns against her damp skin, "Now that sounds interesting. And I assure you, I have never done_ that_ with anyone else before."

"I can't imagine why not, not that I like the thought of you and...someone else doing... but good lord if I had the choice I'd spend ever possible moment doing _that_ with you." He said in a whisper as he pulled the discarded bath robe up over her shoulders when she shivered as her raised body temperature dropped back to normal.

"Well," She said as her thoughts drifted back to conversations she had had with her past lovers, "it isn't like I've had...lots of sexual partners before now... but none of them seemed to like the idea of me being 'on top'. I guess that they liked to be the ones in control."

"Oh_ Roxanne_," Megamind sighed as he placed a kiss against her temple, "any time you feel like asserting control over me, you just go ahead and say so. I can't promise I'll always go down without a fight, but I have no problems whatsoever with submitting myself to your whim my lady." She grinned as she snuggled up against him, trying to fight the urge to sleep.

"I might just hold you to that." She said with a sigh before continuing, "You know, you seem to have the ability to make me throw all of my own rules out of the window. I've slept with you twice in one day, kind of, and the thought of using extra protection never even crossed my mind."

"Extra protection?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, content to let her continue in her ramblings.

"Birth control," She said without hesitation as she watched her fingertips trace the line of his collar bone, "I'm on the injection so no need to worry about that... but you are the first person I've slept with and not even thought of using... barrier protection."

"Oh, I see." Megamind said as the meaning behind what she was saying sunk in, "Yes, I have read about such things... I'm sorry, I should have considered it." He said as he rested his cheek against the top of her head, "Oh my dear Roxanne. I've seen the articles that people have written about me, claiming that I can somehow..._ impregnate_ the entire female population of the city by emitting some kind of _spores_ or something equally as ridiculous. They made me angry enough to actually want to know if it was possible to interbreed with the native populations, mainly so that I could potentially use the truth the threaten the small minded idiots. So yes, I ran some tests and while my genetic code is not incompatible with the human genome, it would be very _very_ unlikely that you would fall pregnant. Not without some serious pre-planning and genetic manipulation anyway. And I most certainly do not have any of those _detestable_ infections that humans seem far too eager to pass around."

"Hey, I'm a human, do you include me in that sweeping generalisation." She said with some measure of humour as she slapped him on the shoulder playfully. She was somewhat relieved to hear that she would not be able to fall pregnant accidentally, but a small part of her couldn't help but perform an excited back flip at the thought that it wasn't entirely impossible for some point in the future, if that was where their relationship was heading.

"Not in the slightest my dear." He said as he pulled her in for another lingering kiss, "No, not at all."


	14. Discovering all your secrets

_Whe-hey! Look! An update! Sorry this has taken me so long. I've had the weirdest case of kind-or writer's block ever. For the whole of this story I have had the plot line and major events mapped out from beginning to end, so I have always known where the story was going. For the past couple of months, however, I have not had the urge to write. And as many of you will know, trying to force yourself to write just does not work. _

_Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing this story, I have tried to keep on top of replying to you all individually. And for those of you who I can't reply to directly. Thank you very much. I've had nothing but good reviews for this and that makes me feel very good indeed!_

_So, on with the story. Strictly T rated for this chapter. There is a suggestion of a bit of naughty stuff but nothing at all compared to the last two chapters._

* * *

><p>She plopped herself back down onto the sofa and snuggled back into his side as she settled the bowl of popcorn she had retrieved from the kitchen against their legs. She had been quizzing him innocently as they had cleaned themselves up from their early morning activities and had discovered that his past experiences with things like eating popcorn and watching movies, had never really been the best examples of how those activities could be. He had been brutally honest with her as he spoke of his past, not really seeing the point of hiding anything when everything had occurred such a long time ago. Roxanne added his school teacher to her mental hit list and promised herself that she would at least try and find out if that woman had ever been caught out for her poor teaching skills.<p>

When she had mentioned movies, he had confessed that the only movies he had ever watched had either been viewed in his early years in the prison watching the same worn out videos over and over again, or alone in the lair with Minion on days between plans when Minion had practically had to tie him down to get him to relax for a couple of hours. Roxanne decided on the spot that she was going to give him a whole new meaning to associate with movie watching.

He had chuckled when he flicked through her movie collection, noting with a smirk and a raised eyebrow the number of sci-fi movies and television series ranging from a rather impressive Star Trek collection to a few box-sets of low budget British sci-fi shows including Doctor Who and Red Dwarf. Finally settling on the Star Trek movie box set, they settled down together to watch as Megamind wrapped his arms around her to pull her close against him.

"I never realised you were such a big fan of this stuff." He said as they watched the opening credits cycle across the screen. Her head was lay against his shoulder and she had one arm draped across his abdomen, occasionally picking at the popcorn in the bowl in front of them.

"Well, when you spend most of your adult life stuck in the middle of some cosmic alien grudge match, it kind of builds up an interest in what the rest of the population of the universe is like." She said with a smile, "It all started with these movies, and if were being _honest_ with each other, I kind of had a weird crush on Captain Kirk."

"_What_?" Megamind barked a laugh as she sent a glare up at him, "You, a _Shatner fangirl_? Well, I'm not sure what I really think of that, you know. It changes things I suppose."

"You know this is _my_ apartment, you can leave any time you want." She said with a smirk as she took a handful of popcorn, looking up at him with feigned innocence.

"Oh ho ho ho, You should realise by now my dear, you can't get rid of me that easily!" He said as his arms tightened around her, "You really do have no hope of escaping now, I hope you know."

"Oh please!" Roxanne chuckled as she rolled her eyes, "I could escape from your plans any time I wanted to!"

"Oh really? And what gives you that idea?"

"Oh, it would be easy, and I wouldn't even have to lift a finger to do it!" She said with a smirk as she loftily turned her face away.

"Well? Enlighten me." Megamind was having trouble keeping the grin from his face as he looked down at the woman in his arms.

"Mmmmm... no, I don't think so." She said suddenly as she turned back to watch the movie, biting her lip to stop herself from giggling.

"What?" He yelled a little louder than he had intended to, "No no no! You are missing the whole point, my dear! Here I am, practically _begging_ you for an explanation, and you are resisting the urge to leap into a dramatic monologue? Have I taught you _nothing_?" Megamind tipped his head back against the top of the sofa and draped his arm forlornly across his eyes.

"I hate to break this to you but you are not exactly the best role model in the world!" Roxanne laughed as she jabbed him in the ribs, "Bus as you asked so nicely..."

"Oooh, dramatic pause, very effective." He smirked as he waited for her to continue.

"All I ever had to do to escape you _genius_ plots, was to tell Minion the ropes were hurting me. He would have untied me instantly!" She said with a smug look on her face as she dusted off her fingernails against her shirt before holding her hand up in front of her face.

"Oh, _oohh_ now that is _low_ Miss Ritchie!" Megamind said as he sat up straighter, "I would _never_ have thought that _you_, of all people, would take advantage of Minion's nature in such a devious way!"

"Alright, Mr Morality, calm down!" She laughed as she slapped his arm lightly, "_You_ of all people must know that everyone keeps an ace or two up their sleeve."

"Hmmmm." He hummed as she settled back down against him, turning her attention back to the movie playing away to itself in front of them, "Yes, well. I just never expected you to have quite so many stashed away!"

They fell into a comfortable silence as the crew of the infamous starship found themselves in yet another perilous situation. Megamind found himself more often than not, looking down at the woman lay back against his chest. The situation felt so comfortable that his brain was having trouble deciding if the whole thing was a dream or not. Here he was, the city's resident super-villain, laying in happy silence with his frequent kidnapping victim as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

His mind wandered to the events of the night before and earlier that morning. He had never in his wildest dreams believed that he would ever have been able to experience _that_ and yet here he was, quite literally lay with the girl of his dreams, watching Star Trek on a Saturday. Not a care in the world. He found himself chuckling to himself lightly, causing Roxanne to look up at him with a smile on her face. She smiled back down at her as he tightened his arms around her, his fingers dancing lightly against the skin of her arm. With a happy sigh she relaxed against him again as they both focused on the movie, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.

Minion couldn't sit still once he got back to the Lair. The brainbots that had crowded round him as soon as he had climbed out of the car had quickly retreated to the safety of the rafters after two of them had been caught by Minion and given the polishing of their lives. He sighed loudly to himself as he fidgeted inside his bowl, his large robotic hands twitching fitfully at his sides. He couldn't even remember the drive home from Roxanne's apartment, having made the journey through the weekend traffic on autopilot. He was pretty sure that he hadn't caused any accidents, but even if he had, the possibility wasn't very high on his list of priorities at the moment.

He had been able to see for a long time that Megamind was holding some kind of torch for the sassy reporter, almost ever since they had chosen to keep her as their only kidnapping victim. In recent months the interactions between the pair had taken on a life of their own, turning from taunts and somewhat comedic threats of pain and violence, the something more... flirtatious. Every time Minion had attempted to broach the subject, Megamind has simply waved his concerns off as the fish seeing things that weren't there.

Ever since the attack on Metro Man in the Abandoned Observatory, things had changed dramatically. The look on Megamind's face when he had pulled Roxanne away from the Alligator pit, without a moment to spare, had been earth shattering. He had looked furious, hurt and absolutely terrified, all in one moment, with everything dissolving into such heart wrenching concern as she slumped in his arms into unconsciousness. Minion had hoped to turn Megamind away from the path he had suddenly turned down but then the explosion at the Metro Man Museum had gone so horribly wrong and then the Hero himself has broken into the Lair in a fit of rage with such spectacularly disastrous consequences, it became clear there was nothing Minion could do.

From then on Megamind had been a different person, his moods had been fluctuating from raging frustration to giddy joviality in the blink of an eye. He had wallowed in self pity one moment, only to turn around and beam out a dazzlingly evil grin before throwing himself into plans for his next great invention. Even the brain bots had been on edge following their creators mood swings after a game of fetch had taken a surprisingly vicious turn.

Minion sighed as he finally gave in to this tried and trusted coping mechanism and headed for the kitchen. He grumbled to himself as he tied the pink apron around his robotic waist and began beat the life out of a clutch of innocent and unsuspecting eggs. He ordered a few of the more reliable Brainbots to head out and gather some more ingredients as he surveyed the contents of his larder. He had the feeling that by the time he was finished he was going to be able to supply every cake shop in the city with more than enough stock for the coming weeks.

"So, do you have any other deep dark secrets that you have been keeping from me Miss Ritchie?" Megamind's chuckled a mildly evil laugh as he quirked one eyebrow up at Roxanne as she came back over to the sofa with a bottle of wine and two glasses. The day had gone by lazily as they made their way through Roxanne's Star Trek movie collection as if the situation was the most natural in the world. "I must say I'm not sure how many more revelations I can take. What with finding out your secret love affair with _William Shatner_, I'm not sure that I really know you any more."

"A love affair?" She laughed as she curled her legs underneath her on the sofa and pored out the wine for both of them, "don't you think you are being just a tad over dramatic?" The impish look he gave her as he reached forwards and picked up his glass of wine was enough to make her blush furiously as she had to suppressed a giggle, "OK, yeah I know. You being over dramatic,_ never_!"

"And you say you have me figured out!" He said with a smirk as he took a sip of his wine, his eyes never leaving her face.

"Well, c'mon then, Mr lies and shadows," She said as she turned towards him, leaning one arm against the back of the sofa, "I certainly know that there is a lot more to you than you have told me so far."

"I find that comment rather offensive! I do _not_ lie!" He said as he turned his nose up into the air with a rather disgruntled expression on his face.

"What? Of course you do, your a _super-villain_! All you do is lie, cheat and steal, ever since I first met you!"

"On the contrary, my dear. I never lie. Cheat and steal, yes. Lie, no. I'm just not very good at it, to be honest with you." He said seriously, "Think about it, when have you ever heard me _actually_ tell a lie?"

"Well I...I mean..." She said as she racked her brains for an example that she knew must be there, "Well, what about when you parade around wearing that disguise watch of yours? You are lying about who you are!"

"Nuh-uh." He hummed around a mouthful of the dry wine before swallowing, "that's called self preservation. I cant exactly go walking around out there as I am now, can I?"

"Oh, come on! You cant be serious, you must have lied about something at some time!"

"Well, maybe when I was a child. I did go through a rather rebellious stage... but I honestly can't remember ever telling a major lie. What would be the point? Besides, Minion _hates_ anyone telling lies. That goes back to when we were in school and I always got the blame for things that I didn't even do. Minion always said that the only person I could ever lie to is myself, anyone else would be able to see through it instantly." The sheepish smile he gave her was proof enough that he was being painfully honest. She found herself gazing into his eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"Well, I guess I can see his point." She said before her expression took on a much more devious form, "But you can't deny you lied to me ever time you kidnapped me."

"How so?"

"You were always telling me that your latest greatest invention was going to be my downfall, that you were going to kill me if the hero didn't come in time." She said softly, her gaze never leaving his eyes, "That was a lie wasn't it? You never intended to hurt me, let alone kill me. The city has never seemed to grasp the fact that despite all the explosions and mechanical monsters, there is one thing you have never done, and that is kill someone. At least not directly. I think there have been about...7 ...people that have had 'Super-villain related heart attacks'. I don't think it's in you to actually murder anyone, not even Metro Man. I don't think you would actually know what to do with yourself if you ever won."

Megamind sat in silence for a long time, just watching her smiling back at him. Her words were spinning round in his head over and over again. She had, of course, hit the nail on he head. He had always been so focused on the next plan to defeat Metro Man and they had been getting consistently deadlier as the years progressed. He had been aware that there had been a few unfortunate people that were too close to the epicentre of their battles, that fell victim to a fate that was not of his intention, but then that could have happened if they had been running for a bus.

Roxanne's declaration that deep down, he didn't want to actually _kill_ Metro Man struck a cord. The more he thought about it, the more he realised she was right. He had never actually used the word 'kill', he had always unconsciously chosen much more ambiguous words like 'defeat' and 'destroy'. Nothing quite so final as 'kill'. His mind wandered to what he would do if he ever actually won against the hero. Permanently. The opportunity to keep the him alive in some form of subjugation would have kept him amused for a while, but he had a strange feeling that boredom would at some point set in. He never really liked to sit still for too long.

"You know, Miss Ritchie, if I didn't know better, I'd say that was a challenge." He chucked as he came out of his musings, "But the truth of the matter is, I would have been very disappointed if he had ever actually died, even by my hand. That would completely take away my gloating ability. And believe me, I can gloat for a very long time! But killing you was never really part of the idea. The threats were all, mainly, part of the act."

"So it is all an act. I figured as much" She said with a frown, "There have been a few people in the past that have said you two had set rules for each other... that is was all some very elaborate stage play."

"Well Miss _Nosey Reporter_," he said playfully, "the battles were always real, I was always trying very hard to defeat Mr Goody two-shoes... That was never an act. None of it. But there were rules. There _had_ to be. You cant deal with someone with unfathomable powers without setting a few Ground rues. He broke one of the biggest not that long ago." He reached forward and traced his fingers along the cast on her arm thoughtfully.

"The night he broke into the lair?" She asked quietly as she watched his fingers dance along the plaster. She couldn't wait to get the damn thing off, it felt like that arm wasn't connected to her body any more.

"Exactly." He said with a nod, "We agreed from the beginning that we both needed a safe place to retreat to. I had the Lair and he has whatever solitary fortress he has cooked up somewhere out there. I agreed that I would never hunt him down in his own home, which would be insanely easy by the way, and he wouldn't use that annoying super hearing and x-ray vision to find the Lair. The night after I blew up the museum he did just that. He broke the rules. It wasn't fair."

"I remember you saying something like that to him at the time. The look on his face when he realised where he was..." Roxanne closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to get the images of that night out of her head, "You know he was only trying to protect me."

"Which is why I haven't put any effort into finding his home and ripping it apart." He said darkly as he pulled back from her, "If anything more had happened to you because of him I don't know what I would have ended up doing."

He turned his face away from her as he drained the last of he glass of wine, forcing himself to take a few calming breaths. The anger that he had felt when the hero had come bursting in was coming back with the force of the tide. He sat forwards on the sofa with his elbows braced against his legs as he closed his eyes.

"Roxanne," He said quietly a few moments later without looking at her, "you risked your life to try and help me. And I still don't understand why." His emerald green eyes turned sharply towards her, his question burning into her along with his gaze. She slowly reached forward to place the glass down on the table in front of them before she shifted forward to sit closer to him. He watched every movement intently, his eyes dropping from her face to watcher her hand as she laced her fingers with his. For some reason his heart was hammering in his chest as he waited for her answer.

"Because I couldn't bear the thought of him hurting you." She said in a quiet whisper, "especially for something that you didn't do. We've been through this already Megamind. I'm not doing this out of some sinister intent. I'm not trying to trick you. I don't want you to do anything that you don't want to."

"Roxanne..." He said breathlessly, "I... I just don't understand what is going on. I don't like not understanding things. And then there's Minion. I didn't expect him to react like that."

"I know, I don't understand it either. But you know what?" She said as she reached up and placed her hand against his cheek, turning his face towards hers, "that's part of the reason why I want this to continue. The fact that I have no idea where this is going is exciting. _You_ are exciting."

She breathed the last three words onto his lips as they came together in a soft yet intensely emotional kiss that had her curling her toes underneath her. Megamind's hand drifted up her arm to tangle into her hair at the back of her head, holding her against him as he leaned further into the kiss.

"Exciting?" He asked as he pulled back slightly, "really?"

"Oh just shut up would you?" Roxanne said with a shake of her head as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him back down to her, tipping backwards to lay down on the sofa with him leaning above her. With a quiet growl that sent shivers down her spine he deepened the kiss, tasting the remaining alcohol on her tongue as they battled together. After a while he pulled away from her with one last flick of his tongue over her lips before he trailed a line of wet kisses up to the tender flesh just below her ear. Her breath escaped her in a soft moan as his teeth closed gently over her earlobe before he released it and soothed the almost invisible mark with a kiss and a flick of his tongue.

"_Megamind._" She said with a moan as his mouth formed a smirk against her skin as he travelled down her neck to her shoulder.

"Oh _Roxanne_," He said as he slid the top of her dressing gown down off her should and kissed the creamy flesh he uncovered, "you have _no_ idea," he breathed in between kisses, "how long I have wanted... to hear you... say my name... like _that_."

"You have no idea-" She said against the top of his head, the feeling of his teeth gently scraping against her collar bone causing her voice to tremble, "no idea how much I want to say your name. Or- or how badly I want you to make me _scream it_"

He paused at her shoulder before pulling away to look down at her. Her skin was flushed and her hair mused,but he felt that she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. He truly couldn't imagine ever letting her go. He grinned wickedly down at her as her words sunk in.

"I never have been able to get you to get you to scream for me, have I Miss Ritchie?" His evil laugh bubbled up out of his throat for a moment before he managed to rein it in.

"Well, I think it's just that you need a change of tactics." She said with a smirk to rival his own as she wiggled her torso underneath him provocatively.

"A change of tactics, eh?" He said as her propped himself up on one elbow and brushed his goatee thoughtfully with one hand, "So, Miss Ritchie, what is it that you think I should try?"

Her eyebrows rose sharply as a fierce blush spread up her neck to cover her whole face. She had never anticipated such a question would come up. The idea of her actually voicing all of the secretly naughty little thoughts that were going through her head was absolutely mortifying. The playful expression on his face faded slightly as he watched her flush with embarrassment.

"What's wrong?" He asked as a concerned frown spread across his face. This was definitely not the reaction he had been expecting.

"You-" Her voice was croaky and raw with embarrassment and she took a deep breath to steady herself before continuing, trying to avoid eye contact and still blushing furiously. "You want me to _tell you_ what... what I want you to do to me?"

Megamind ran the conversation from the past few moments back in his mind, trying to pinpoint exactly what he had said to her. He had to have said something in the wrong way to get such a reaction out of her. He had expected her to come up with all sorts of comments right off the bat.

"Roxanne," He said carefully as he ran a hand through her hair tenderly, "I know a lot about a lot of things, I don't mean to brag, but I do. But this... this is don't know that much about. Not about the more... emotional details anyway. I need you to _tell_ me if I do something wrong. " He placed his fingers lightly against her cheek and brought her face round to look her in the eyes. She reluctantly met his gaze and he could see her embarrassment shining inside them. "And likewise, I would like you to tell me if I do something especially right. That way I'll be able to do it again."

He smirked down at her in an attempt to lighten the mood which had suddenly become heavy. Roxanne was staring up at him in shock, the scarlet blush finally fading from her face. Her hand came up to cover his as it rested against her cheek and she closed her eyes and took another deep breath.

"Roxanne, please. I did something wrong, _tell me_." He said, hoping that she could not detect the whiny sound that he could in his voice. He very nearly squeaked in surprise when she suddenly clasped her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him down for a quick but fierce kiss.

"You are just about the most_ amazing_ man I have ever known!" She said when she released him and she willed herself to not let the tears burning in the back of her eyes show, "You've done nothing wrong! Believe me you are doing everything _absolutely_ right, and as far as knowing what to do, I'd say you defiantly do." She couldn't resist the urge to pull him down for another longer kiss as that same old self confident smirk came back onto his face.

"Then what was all that about?" He asked when they came up for air.

"Well... no one has ever _asked _me that before." She said after a while, forcing herself to maintain eye contact with him. "No one has ever really..._cared_ about what I might have wanted."

"I care." He said very softly as he rested his forehead gently against hers, "I care _very _much indeed. Perhaps more than I should."

"Megamind." She said with a slight frown, she could all but feel the emotion radiating from him as he lay above her, his arms braced either side of her body, "neither of us knows what this is. I don't think-"

"I know it is strong." He said quickly, cutting her off, "and I know it is _real_. I may not be able to accurately define it... but I know I can't deny it. And neither can you."

"You know, this is a pretty deep conversation considering we only went on our first date yesterday." She said with a smirk, "My mother would kill me if she knew I had slept with a guy on the first night!"

"Well, that all depends..." He said as he quirked on eyebrow up at her.

"On what?"

"On what your definition of a 'date' is." He smile grew infinity more wicked as he gazed down at her, "For round about 10 years now I have been picking you up from your home or work and either taking you to my place or to various interesting locations around the city-"

"Yeah, tied to a chair!" Roxanne said with a laugh.

"Even so, I enjoyed them very much."

"OK Romeo, so we may have been '_seeing_' each other for a long time... but that does not a relationship make." Roxanne said as she shifted slightly underneath him, stretching her legs out along his. The position that she had found herself in had left her laying beneath him and a bit of an odd angle and her leg was falling asleep.

"Well, we will just have to work on that for a while then, won't we." Megamind chuckled as he obligingly lifted himself off her to sit back against the arm of the sofa behind him. He reached out to her and pulled her up against him, turning her so she was lay with her back against his chest and her head reclined against his shoulder. The movie that they had gotten up to was rolling through the credits, the 'space age' music playing away to itself happily. "I shall have to do some research on this whole 'relationship' thing."

"Research?" Roxanne giggled as she leaned away from him to pour some more wine out for both of them. After she handed him his glass she settled back down against him with a sigh.

"But of course." He said as he made a vague gesture with the wine glass, "I'll need to conduct a very scientific experiment! However, I must say, I will probably have to resort to my standard method of preparing for a new plan."

"And what method might that be?" Roxanne asked as the sipped her wine, smiling around the rim of the glass.

"Trial and error, my dear." He growled with his lips against the top of her ear, "_trial_ and error!"

"Well, that certainly sounds like an interesting way of working things out."

"Indeed it does." He said with a happy smile on his face as he turned to face the television screen. The movie, Star Trek: Insurrection, had begun to play again after idling on the menu screen for too long. A comfortable silence settled over the pair as the sat together watching the exploits, trials and tribulations of the new starship Enterprise and her rather unfortunate crew. After Roxanne had finished her drink and put the empty glass on the floor by their feet, she settled back down against him and wrapped her arms around his slim body.

"So," She said after a few moments, looking up at him through her bangs, "do you want to know the answer to your question?"

"What question?" he asked with a frown as he looked down at her grinning face.

"The one about what I want you to do to me." She said with an impish look on her face, "'cos I kinda have a few_ ideas_."

"Whatever this is about, it _better_ be good or I _swear to god_ ..." Roxanne mumbled sleepily as she rolled back onto the bed with her mobile phone held at her ear. The man lying next to her groaned incoherently as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him as he nuzzled his face into her shoulder. She smiled sleepily for a moment before giving herself a mental shake down in order to focus on what the voice on the other end of the line was saying. As the voice babbled on, her sleep filled mind finally recognised who it was, banishing any lingering effects of sleep quickly.

"Wait, _Hal_? What in the- it's 4 in the _morning_ Hal!" She snapped as she sat up in bed, much to the annoyance of Megamind who grumbled loudly and clung to her waist in an attempt to keep her where she was.

"I know, I know. But the boss called and we gotta hit the road! There is the big fire at the hospital or something and he wants us to go and get some live footage shot before all the cool stuff is over." Hal said, sounding slightly panicked, "Look. You know I don't wanna be out here any more than you do but the boss said if we don't get down there then the other networks will get the scoop on us and he sure don't want that!"

"Wait, a fire at the _hospital_?" She said as she turned to look back down at Megamind who was still balancing on the very edge of sleep and awake. The thought of one of the other networks, with their drop-dead gorgeous blond bombshell reporters getting the story before her made her want to run there herself, but the image of the blue man lying curled around her, sliding deeper into an exhausted sleep was making her seriously want to tell her career to go and play with itself for a while. With a sigh she turned away, her face set in a determined frown.

"OK Hal. Where are you?" She asked, her voice grim as she tried to get the part of her that was telling her to be selfish and stay in bed to be quiet.

"I'm outside your apartment like _right now_, I stopped by the back door 'cos I didn't wanna disturb anyone." Hal said hurriedly. Roxanne didn't even bother to reply before she snapped her phone shut and tried to rub the sleep out of her eyes.

"You're leaving?" A very sleepy voice croaked out from behind her as the arms around her waist tightened slightly. She turned to look down at him as he rolled onto his back and blinked his heavy lidded green eyes up at her. She couldn't help the smile that spread across her face at the image. If she had been shown a photo of him, as he was right at that moment, before this crazy journey had started, back when Megamind had only just started to kidnap her, she would have never believed this was the same super-villain.

"What?" He asked eventually with a sleepy chuckle as his own lips began to twitch into a smile.

"You know, you are _unbelievably_ cute when you are so sleepy." She said as she leaned down and placed a soft kiss against his lips, "and yes, there's some big fire that's started up, I need to go and get a report on it before all the action dies down."

"_No_, I'm not letting you go that easily." He muttered before he was interrupted by a yawn, "and besides, I'm not _cute_. I'm evil. So very very evil."

"Of course you are." She said softly as she placed a kiss on the top of his head, "I won't be gone long. Go back to sleep."

He mumbled something incoherently before reluctantly sliding his arms from around her. His hands lingered on her hips until she stood up from the bed and quickly got dressed. As she carefully opened the door, trying not to make it squeak, she turned back to the bed and couldn't help the grin that spread on her face at the sight of him already having fallen asleep again, clutching her pillow firmly against himself. After grabbing a caffeine drink out of the cupboard and swiftly downing the contents she grabbed her white coat from the back of the sofa before hurrying out of her apartment and down the stairs to the rear exit to her apartment building.

Sure enough, the news van was parked inside the alleyway in between her building and the next, with Hal gesturing from inside for her to hurry up and get in. No sooner had she climbed in and shut the door, he pulled away with a surprising amount of urgency. Roxanne sent him a warning glare as she managed to buckle up her seatbelt while finding herself having to hold onto the dashboard in order to steady herself. Hal's driving finally steadied out when he turned onto a main road and headed down town through the deserted streets. Roxanne watched the street lights and dimly lit shop fronts go whizzing past as she tried not to think about what she had left behind back at her apartment. She needed to get her mind on the job and fast. She opened the glove compartment and pulled out her emergency make-up bag and rifled though it's contents, pulling out her foundation, powder and eye shadow set and lipstick. She decided that forgoing her standard black eye-liner and mascara was probably the safest option given the state of Hal's driving. With practised grace she silently applied the most basic covering of make up, just enough to make it look like she hadn't actually just rolled out of bed following another night with her very attentive and virile new lover.

As she put her make up bag away and checked her hair in the reflection in the window before attacking the unruly mess with her hair brush, something she couldn't quite put her finger on began to nag at the back of her mind. She pulled the brush through her hair slowly as she tried to pinpoint what the uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach was trying to tell her.

Hal sat silently behind the steering wheel as his knuckles turned white with his grip on the cheap plastic. He tried to resist the urge to look over at her but found that his gaze often shifted nervously to the woman sitting in the seat next to him. When he saw the frown on her face his pulse kicked up a notch as he forced himself to remain calm.

"So Roxie," He said with a chuckle, causing her to turn to look at him, "you got home aright then did ya? I was so worried about you the other night you know, like, you never know what's out there, you know?"

Roxanne frowned as his trademarked rambling blurred into one annoyingly long sound when her thoughts suddenly focused on what her intuition had been trying to tell her for the past five minutes. She looked down at herself, the seatbelt tugging her white coat back in a rather uncomfortable way. She put the hair brush down in her lap before reaching up to pluck at the large black buttons, turning it between her fingers as if an answer to some question could be found on it somewhere. A wave of confusion mixed with panic washed over her as her head suddenly snapped up.

Her white coat, the one she had accidentally left in the news van on Friday evening before she had decided to walk home alone, had somehow managed to end up draped over the back of her sofa. She had meant to call Hal to get him to drop her things with her doorman but she had been somewhat distracted and had all but forgotten about it. Her mind was racing, trying to think of a plausible reason as to how the coat had come to be back in her apartment again when something else became painfully clear at long last.

"Hal," She said, hoping that he voice wasn't betraying the sudden fear that was coursing through her veins. Every nerve in her body was telling her that something was very very wrong. "Errm... Hal, where are we? You said the fire was at the Hospital, we should have been there by now."

The streets were deserted and the night air was still and silent aside from the noise of the van's engine. At some point they had left the brightly lit main streets of the city centre and were headed deeper through some of the city's rougher residential districts. Roxanne had been to these sorts of areas many times before, reporting on gang crime and urban degradation and poverty, but only ever in daylight. Never in the dark, with no one on the streets with a man that she was suddenly very sure that she could not trust.

"Don't worry Roxie," Hal said in a voice Roxanne guessed was supposed to be reassuring, "It's all gonna be OK, I'm gonna help you."

"Help me? With _what_?" She said a little louder than she had intended, "Hal, stop the van. _Now_ Hal!"

"I'm sorry Roxie, but this is for your own good." Hal said with a serious look on his face as he turned down another abandoned residential street. Roxanne searched the houses around them for any signs of a landmark but she was hopelessly lost having lost count of the number of turns Hal had taken since leaving the city.

"Hal, I mean it!" She said forcefully as she undid her seatbelt and reached into her pocket for her mobile, "Stop the car now or I swear to god..."  
>"I'm sorry Roxie, I really didn't wanna have to do this but, you've left me no choice." Hal said in a grim voice as he reached down for something stashed down the side of his seat.<p>

Panic suddenly flooded through every ounce of her being as her mind struggled to make sense of what she was seeing. Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion as she watched Hal lift the all too familiar black cannister from down the side of his seat. Without hesitation he held it up to her face and pressed down on the nozzle. The sweet smell of the knock-out spray filled her nose and throat as the dim lights on the yellow-lit streets outside faded into black.


	15. The kidnapping of Roxanne Ritchie

_So, here comes the fun! Thank you to everyone who has said that My creepy Hal is a VERY creepy Hal. I know that the 'hal kidnaps roxanne to deprogram her' thing has been done fairly often but I think I have found a new spin on things. This story is far from over yet. ^_^_

_This chapter was quite hard to write, I hope that I managed to make it not be ... silly. As always, all reviews, good bad and ugly, are welcome. ^_^_

* * *

><p>"Hello? Sir? Miss Ritchie?" Minion stage-whispered tentatively into the apartment as he shut the front door quietly behind himself. It was almost 9am and the light of the new dawn was already bursting in through the large balcony windows. Minion had willed the previous day away by baking as many cakes and cookies as he could which managed to clear his head, giving him the ability to think clearly over the situation at hand. He had eventually come to the conclusion that no matter what his objections were, his boss was never going to listen to him anyway, so why bother banging your head against a brick wall. As the old saying went, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.<p>

He sighed as his thoughts focused again on this strange relationship that had started up between Megamind and Miss Ritchie. He really did like Roxanne and if he was honest with himself he knew he trusted her to not intentionally hurt Megamind in any way. But that didn't change the fact that things were going to get very difficult for all of them as soon as anyone else in the city got wind of their new situation.

"Minion?" Megamind's voice came from the top of the stairs as he staggered out of the bedroom wearing just his black boxer shorts. Minion found himself having to resist the urge to smile at the sight. The only times that Megamind ever ventured out of the sanctuary of his bedroom in anything less than his full body suit was when he had woken up from a rare night of restful sleep. He watched his boss make his way noisily down the stairs before he turned to the kitchen to make a much needed vat of coffee which would no doubt be demanded in the next few moments.

"Minion, coffee." Megamind said as he slumped onto one of the kitchen stools and rested his head heavily against his arms on the counter top.

"Way ahead of you Sir!" Minion said in a happy voice as he checked to make sure the water was starting to boil in Roxanne's coffee machine. While he waited for the life-giving beverage to be ready, he decided to make himself useful and clear up the debris that the pair had left behind from the previous day. There were pieces of popcorn randomly scattered around the room, the only evidence of what must have been a rather short lived food fight, not to mention three empty bottles of wine and a tell tale red stain against the carpet lying next to a suspiciously overturned wine glass. Minion tutted to himself as he picked the bottles up and straightened a stack of glossy white paper that lay in the centre of the coffee table. As he stood up his eyes were drawn to a large potted dragon plant that sat in the corner of the room. He frowned at the plant, not sure in the slightest as to why it had caught his attention. He had seen the thing many times before.

"Minion..." Megamind's voice droned out from against the counter top, "I think I have caught this cursed '_hangover_' disease that so many Humans are affected by. Bring me the cure, quickly."

"Well Sir," Minion somehow managed to resist the urge to chuckle, "there are a few things that people say can 'cure' a hangover but there is nothing scientifically proven. And it isn't a disease, you just need to keep yourself hydrated."

"Minion..." The blue man groaned again in a quiet voice, "I think I'm dying."

"I'm sure you're not Sir." Minion said with a smile as he passed a steaming cup of coffee , "Besides, you know what alcohol does to your system. You remember what happened when you were 16 don't you?"

Minion folded his arms over his expansive gorilla chest and turned what had been previously described as his 'momma-fish' face on the man slouched in front of him. When Megamind had turned 16 he had been smack bang in the middle of a very rebellious 'teenage' stage and had been causing far more trouble than usual for the prison guards. He had decided a long time ago that he was going to fashion himself as the badest super-villain that ever existed and was well into his plans for making that ambition a reality. His first attempt at armed robbery, with a newly remodelled dehydration gun, had resulted in the teen fleeing the scene of the crime with a back pack full off vodka, leaving a very bemused convenience store assistant behind to deal with the aftermath. Unfortunately for the under-aged blue delinquent, partaking in his ill gotten gains had a very unexpected and unpleasant side effect which lasted for the next two days.

"Then we must get to the Lair and devise a cure right away!" Megamind said as he swept his hand in the air above his head in a rather ambiguous gesture. As he attempted to stand up to do just that, the world tilted alarmingly underneath his feet causing him to slouch back onto the stool once more.

"OK Sir, how about we wait it out here for a little bit?" Minion said with a very poorly disguised chuckle, "It would probably help the scientific process if you were at least able to stand up straight."

"Do not mock me! You...mocker!"

"OK, OK." Minion sighed as he searched Roxanne's kitchen for a pack of painkillers, "Here Sir. Take two of these and drink all of this too!"

He popped two painkillers awkwardly out of the foil wrapper and handed his friend a large glass of cold water. After a few moments of peering at the items, Megamind forced himself to sit up in the stool and swiped the tablets off the counter top. He popped them into his mouth with a determined frown on his face and drained the glass of water in one go. He sighed as the cool liquid seemed to wake him up a little bit more. Minion had his glass refilled almost as soon as it had been placed back down on the table and soon that too was empty.

"So, Sir...errm," Minion said cautiously, "is Miss Ritchie going to want some breakfast?"

"No, she had to leave early, something about an emergency that she needed to work at...something." Megamind said as he rested his head in his hands. The pain killers were starting to kick in but they were taking far too long for his liking.

"Oh, well, that's a shame." Minion said with a frown. He is gaze wandered around the room as he tried to recall if any of the brainbots had reported anything unusual during the early hours of the morning. His eyes kept on returning to that same damn plant sitting innocently in the corner. True, this thing had grown considerably since he had first seen it all those years ago, and it did have an exceptionally large pot but the reason why he couldn't get it off his mind was a mystery. He tried to shake the feeling off as he turned to get started on a much needed, and probably very unhealthy, hangover curing breakfast.

As Roxanne began to wake up the first thing she realised was that she was most definitely not in her bedroom. Everything hurt and she bit down a moan of discomfort with practised grace. Her head was spinning and she couldn't seem to open her eyes, her whole body felt heavy and there was a strange tightness against her upper body and abdomen. After a few moments she managed to force her eyes open, only to find a very effective blindfold had been secured around her head. Her first instinct was to call out angrily for Megamind to stop playing his stupid games and untie her, however that idea was quickly discarded when she realised exactly how uncomfortable her current position was.

She could feel the cold surface of a metal chair underneath her and she twisted experimentally, testing the ropes that she could now clearly feel through her clothing. Her situation suddenly dawned on her as she felt the ropes around her upper body bite deeper into her skin. Megamind had never, ever, tied her up like this before. She was very well aware that Minion always delayed placing her in the chair until he was sure she was at least starting to wake up. Whoever had put her in this new situation, clearly didn't know that it was very difficult to make sure that an unconscious person stayed sat upright in a straight backed chair like the one she was in now.

She grit her teeth as she resisted the strong urge to pull herself up in order to relieve the pressure against her chest. She focused all of her attention on her hearing in an attempt to find out if her new and rather inexperienced captor was still in the room with her. She could hear shuffling and something that might have been breathing, but nothing to confirm or deny the presence of another person. So, with a very slow and determined deep breath, she forced her screaming body to stay still and quiet as she waited.

"Minion," Megamind said as he punched the empty plate away from himself, being careful not to lean too far back on the stool for fear of actually falling off, "I know you don't think that Roxanne and I are-"

"It's OK Sir," Minion said, cutting the blue man off, "I'm sorry for the way I reacted. I think it's great that you and Miss Ritchie have become...close. As long as you are happy, I am happy."

"You don't sound very convincing, old friend." Megamind said as he watched the fish intently. His hangover was mercifully starting to fade and the slightly greenish tinge to his skin had all but disappeared. The look he levelled at Minion spoke volumes, he would read his tiny guardian like a book, far too used to Minion wearing his heart on his sleeve.

"Well..." He began, not entirely sure that his boss would take his opinions in the right way, "it's just... my sole purpose in life is to look after you. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Roxanne won't hurt me, I trust her, Minion. You of all people know she is a good person."

"That's exactly my point sir. She is a good person. People like Roxanne are not supposed to be with the bad guy, they are supposed to be with the good guy!" The poor fish look like he was whipping himself up into a frenzy, "That is what the city expects of her. I can see that she wouldn't want to intentionally hurt you, but if... _when_ people find out about this they are going to turn on her. I don't think the city will be able to accept that she ... _cares_ for you, and you for her. All they will see is that she is in some kind of... relationship, with you and they will hate her for it! They will force her to make a decision and I think I know which way that decision will take her."  
>Megamind sat in silence as he simply watched his long time friend try to settle himself down again.<p>

"Minion, I understand, really I _do_." He said in what he hoped was a soothing voice, "and, to be honest with you... I really haven't thought that far ahead. Hell, I didn't actually believe that any of this could actually happen, let alone plan any of it! But... I think that we both need to find out where this is going. At this point, I cant even think any further ahead than the next time I'm going to see her." Minion cast him a dubious look as he digested Megamind's confession.

Megamind's sudden laugher startled the poor fish so much that he was sure some of his scales must have fallen off. He watched, utterly bemused, as the villain clutched his head and moaned in pain all the while still trying to control his laughter.

"I sound like some sort of love-sick fool, don't I Minion?" He said as he finally managed to control himself.

"No Sir, not at all." the fish said carefully, watching how Megamind's body twitched with his barely restrained giggles, he could almost feel the colour drain from his face as what his master was saying sank in. "Sir... errm. I really don't mean to pry, but... have you? Fallen in love with her, I mean."

"Yes? Maybe?" Megamind heaved a deep sigh as his gaze shifted to the clear morning sky outside the window, "Oh, Minion. I don't know. I don't know what this is...but I honestly think that this...whatever it is... can never be a bad thing."

"But Sir, I just really don't want you to build your hopes up over something that to all intents and purposes, shouldn't be happening." Minion said carefully, "You know as well as anybody, Sir. The bad guy doesn't get the girl."

"Maybe I don't want to be the bad guy any more."

/

Roxanne's jaw was beginning to ache as a result of clenching her teeth against the pain in her upper body for so long. She could feel the material of her blindfold becoming damp with silent tears as the agony that was only ever increasing in intensity, spread to her entire body. Even her legs, which were only tied to the legs of the chair at her ankles, were beginning to ache. She was practically holding her breath in an attempt to stop herself panting with the effort of holding herself still. The sound of a door opening loudly brought her attention back to her surroundings as someone entered the room she was being kept in. The door hit the wall as it was swung open suddenly, causing a metallic crash to echo around the room.

'OK, so not a normal house or anything then...' Roxanne though to herself as she tried to force the tremble spreading through her body to stop, 'metal door and concrete walls? Great, another idiot with an abandoned warehouse!'

"Is she awake yet?" Roxanne nearly jumped out of her skin at just how close to her the voice was. Whoever the man was he definitely sounded unpleasant. His voice was completely emotionless, as if he was simply asking if it was going to rain later that day.

"Nah, she's out like a light!" Hal's unmistakable voice replied, sounding just about as bored as he could be. She heard a sharp metallic noise ring out followed by some more shuffling, her mind formed an image of Hal leaning back on whatever chair he had been sat in, before allowing the front legs to roughly hit the bare floor of the room as he sat forwards.

Her jaw clenched as a hand grasped her chin and lifted her into an upright position on the chair. Roxanne resisted the urge to sigh with relief when the stranger's fingers finally left her face. Whoever it was was definitely not being gentle with her.

Her thoughts were suddenly brought to a total standstill as the back of the stranger's hand connected sharply with her cheek. The impact snapped her entire body over to the side causing the chair to tip over leaving her to fall with it and land flat on her face on the hard floor. She cried out as the impact felt like it had broken every bone in her face and the rough concrete of the floor bit into her skin, the coppery taste and smell of fresh blood filling her mouth and nose.

"Well she's awake now." The stranger said, his voice barely audible over the thunderous ringing in her ears. Her head was still spinning as she felt herself being hauled up off the floor as the chair was set upright once again.

"Oh I hope for your sake you have a fucking good lawyer!" Roxanne hissed after she spat out a mouth full of blood, hoping that it had hit this anonymous stranger, "When I'm done with you, you are going to be _begging_ for prison time!" Roxanne hoped against hope that her voice came across as steady and strong as she wanted it to be as she was feeling anything but!

"Hey, look dude," Hal said from somewhere on the other side of the room, "don't you think you're being a little... I dunno, _rough_?" Roxanne found herself oddly pleased that he at least had the common decency to sound slightly annoyed at the stranger's rough treatment.

"Oh I've not even started yet." The stranger said calmly as he traced his fingers across the backs of Roxanne's shoulders. She shuddered at his touch, trying desperately to pull away. "Besides, did you think you were being gentle when you tied her up? Quite frankly I'm surprised that you managed to find quite so much rope!"

"Feh!" Hal said as he folded his arms over his chest and looked away, "Yeah well, she wouldn't sit up straight, would she? I bed that blue freak was just too dumb to think of that!"

"Well, _idiot_!" Roxanne hissed, trying to cover up the fear that was spreading through her body with raw anger. Focusing on Hal's involvement was definitely helping with that plan. "Megamind _knew_ that there was no point tying an unconscious body to a chair like this! He knew that things worked best if I was able to sit up on my own without having ropes tied around my chest to keep me from fucking well falling off!"

"_Puh-lease_! I bet he just never figured that he was supposed to use more of that spray stuff!"

"Well, Hal, you obviously didn't use enough did you since I have been awake for the past...what...10 minutes. So why don't you two just let me go, we can all go our own separate ways and draw a line under this whole-"

The stranger's hand connected with her face again, whipping her face around and leaving her hanging against the ropes around her chest once again.

"_He_ may put up with your mouth but I wont!" He said into her ear, his voice still completely emotionless as his breath fanned against the side of her head causing her to shiver in revulsion

"Whatever!" Roxanne said as she worked her jaw, trying to relieve the tension caused by the swelling she could feel already, So what the hell is this all about anyway? Huh? What's the point of this _fun_ little experience?"

"Your new _boyfriend_!" the stranger said menacingly as he walked away from her, his shoes clicking on the solid floor. Roxanne's reporter mind was taking over, focusing on what she was trained to do in an attempt to forget about the pain and the crushing fear that was taking a grip on her chest.

'Only expensive shoes make a noise like that' She noted mentally, 'So he isn't just the muscle, and he's _calm_ which probably means he feels in control, like he is the one pulling the strings. This one is a _thinker_, good, I can work with that.'

"Did anyone see you? Did she tell anyone where she was going?" The stranger asked as he stood in front of Hal, the shorter man slumping back down into his chair as the man loomed over him.

"I don't think so, I mean, it was the middle of the night!" Hal said nervously, "C'mon dude, you said we were gonna make it so she was never gonna see him again!"  
>"Oh don't you worry, we are definitely going to do that."<p>

The stranger's calm voice sent a shiver of fresh fear down Roxanne's spine. Hal made a relieved noise but remained otherwise silent, leaving Roxanne's hyperactive imagination to come up with all of the different ways this creep was going to do just that. Roxanne flinched in surprise when a shrill ringing blasted out around the room. The stranger strode purposefully out of the room, his shoes clicking the entire was as he answered the call when he had gone out of ear shot.

"Hal," Roxanne said as softly as she could manage, it was getting harder and harder to speak as she could feel her cheeks and tongue swelling. "Hal, _talk to me_, what''s going on? Who is this guy?"

"I'm sorry Roxie, but it's for your own good." Hal said softly as he knelt in front of her. He placed his hands on her knees, causing a shudder to spread from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. "Look, I know you've got yourself in some sorta trouble, but I promise, I will get you away from him."

"Hal, _you_ brought me here, _you're_ the reason I'm in this mess!" She said trying to reign in her temper, making Hal angry was going to no good whatsoever.

"What?" Hal said, confusion clear in his voice, "Oh, you mean Mr Sinclaire. No no, he wants to help you too! Look, I know it was harsh of him to hit you, be he said we have to be strong in order to help you through this."

"Help me through _what_, Hal?"

"Through this..._thing_ that blue twerp has done to you!" He said as he stood up in front of her, "Mr Sinclaire says that you won't believe us at first, but that's only because Megamind has done something to you. But don't you worry Roxie, you wont ever have to see that creep again!"

"Well from the state of things at the moment I'm not actually seeing a lot am I?" she said as she tried to flick her hair away from her forehead, the smooth strands pulling sharply when they caught on the material of the blindfold.

"Oh, yeah! _Duh_! Hang on a second!" Hal said as he fussed around her for a moment before whipping the thick blindfold off her head.

Roxanne blinked owlishly at the sudden light that assaulted her vision. The room was much larger than she had thought it was, but she was correct in that the whole room was made up of old grey concrete. the ceiling was supported by a number of large square pillars and a number of far-too-bright electric lights hung limply from the bare ceiling. She frowned in annoyance when she realised there were no windows to speak of, except for a strip of narrow ones at the top of the wall along one side of the room. The glass was thick with grime making any attempt at getting her bearings impossible.

"Meh, I've seen worse I suppose." She forced herself to shrug nonchelantly despite everything inside of her screaming at her to get out now.

The fact that the creepy guy had said that Hal had tied her up finally sank in, giving her a shred of hope despite the wave of revulsion that washed over her at the thought of him manhandling her unconsios body. She began working her hands behind her back, testing the strength of the notts. One at the wrist started to come loose almost immediatly but her small victory was short lived as she realised just how much rope her innane kidnapper had used and how many knots he had tied.

"Listen Hal, I really need you to trust me." She pleaded in an attempt to keep him talking, maybe he would give up more information seen as he had already told her the stranger's name, "I don't know what this guy has told you, but he's lieing, Hal. He isnt doing this to 'save' me from anything. There is nothing to save me from!"

"Man, you are in deeper than I thought!" Hal said with a very concerned look on his face, "look, I know he has used some mind controll on you or something-"  
>"That's <em>completly<em> rediculous!"

"-but you will see eventually, we are only trying to help you!" Hal continued, completly ignoring Roxanne's protest, "You just can't see it yet, but when you realise what he has been making you do... its so gross!"

"What, Hal?" she said harshly, practically baring her teeth, "What _exactly_ do you think he has made me do?"

"No, Mr Sinclaire said that we need to bring you round a bit more before he showed you the proof. He said it would just give your controlled mind time to prepare for it."

"Oh c'mon Hal! You gotta give me something here!" Roxanne was beginning to loose her temper and winced in pain when she gritted her teeth in frustration.

"Look, Mr Sinclaire says that the blue idiot has had you under his controll for years, maybe even from the very _begining_! Why do you think he never went after anyone else but you?" Hal said as he leaned uncomfortable close to her, "He's been using you all along, just so that he can get to Metro Man. He has tricked you into _helping_ him! I alway thought it was strange, you know."

"Know_ what_, Hal" Roxanne found herself grinding her teeth together in exasperation despite the pain as another of Hal's knots began to loosen by her arms.

"The reason you were always so cool and calm whener the little freak kidnapped you! The only reason you were ever so calm was because he wanted you to help him out! Thats when this whole thing started!"

"Hal," She said slowly as even her hands fell still in shock, "do you even realise how _dumb_ that sounds? You think I 'called out' for Metro Man because I was helping Megamind trap him? Thats... _god_ it just dosent make any sence! Besides,_ I_ never called for Metro Man at all, that was always Megamind sending him some kind of signal!"

"Don't you see? That's exactly what Mr Sinclaire told me you would say. Bust don't worry, we are going to help you." Hal's face grew serious, more serious that she had ever seen him before and that scared her silly.

"Hal, I know you think you are helping," she felt like she was banging her head against a brick wall. No matter what she said, he only tuned it back on her. Panic rose in her throat as every convceivable way of talking herself out of this happy little situation flew out of the proverbial window. "Please Hal, I really don't understand what you think he has made me do that's gotten you so upset...but-"

"Oh come off it with the 'I dont remember' routine! It's getting old real fast!" He shouted, actually glaring at her angrily, "We've all seen the photos, you know? The gig is up, Roxie!"

"Photos?" Roxanne could feel the colour drain from her face as she stared at him in astonishment, "What photos?"

"_Duh_!" He siad as he waved his hands above his head, "the one's _he_ told me to leave up at your apartment! I mean, _geeze_ Roxie! What does that blue twerp have that I dont? Wha-"

"What do you think you are doing?" The calm voice of the mysterious Mr Sinclaire shocked both of them out of their conversation as Hal nearly stumbled over his own feet as he span round to face the intimidating man.

"What? I mean, I was just-" Hal stuttered as he seemed t shrink before Roxannes eyes while Mr Sinclaire strode purposfully up to him.

"Why have you removed her blindfold?" He asked, his voice deathly calm.

"Err, 'caus she said she couldnt see-"

"Idiot!" The man hissed under his breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "The whole point of keeping her blindfolded was so that she would be _unable_ to see anything. "

Roxanne watched Mr Sinclaire carefully trying to imprint his features onto her memory. She had been correct in her assumption of his appearance. The brown suit he wore was definitely a very sharp business suit and his shiny shoes, despite having gained a thin layer of white dust from the filthy storage space. There was something about him that was ringing a bell in her memory. She had the distinct impression that she had seen him somewhere before.

As another knot fell open against her arms she rotated her aching shoulder experimentally. A shot of pain lanced up from her surgically pined wrist and brought with it a crystal clear memory of a long, pain filled wait in the hospital emergency room. She stared at the men in shock as his face matched up with the one of the man who she had seen in the ER waiting room, making notes about her before she was taken in to be seen by a doctor. She had thought that the man was a tabloid reporter after any scoop he could get. Now, however, it seemed he was after something different.

"It's _you_!" She said when she finally found her voice, "You are the guy from the hospital, the one taking notes about me! What the fuck is your problem?" She yelled as his eyes came up to meet hers.

Mr Sinclaire walked slowly towards her as he sent a withering glare at the hapless Hal before leaning down towards her face, his nose almost touching hers.

"You," He said slowly, his voice still calm despite the angry frown that was forming on his brow, "should not have talked him into taking the blindfold off."

/

"Minion, have I ever told you that you are a genius?" Megamind said with a happy sigh as he pushed the empty plate away from himself. That breakfast had been exactly what he needed to chase away the lingering affects of his hangover. He stood from the stool, finally able to stand and walk steadily, and made his way over to the sofa.

"It's only breakfast, Sir." Minion chuckled as he cleared the plate away before he continued with clearing up the rest of the apartment. He had managed to find a bottle of stain remover in a cupboard and headed over to the red wine stain that was already dried into the pale carpet. He watched Megamind flop down onto his back on the sofa with a tired sigh. He was still nearly naked, not having had the energy to head upstairs to change yet.

As Minion set about cleaning up the stain on the floor, he found himself gazing yet again at the Dragon plant in the corner. After a few moments of not being able to concentrate on his task he stood with a grumble and headed over to the offending piece of foliage to try and figure out what was going on. He stared at the thing for a long moment as he lined up his memory of the plant with what he was seeing in front of him. The large glazed plant pot hadn't been replaced since the plant had been installed there and the large plant was probably very close to outgrowing it, if it hadn't done so already.

Something new caught the fish's attention and he knelt down on the carpet to take a closer look. There was a dark soil stain on the carpet by the pot and a deep impression in the carpet pile could be seen to one side of the pot. It had been moved recently and then placed back in almost, but not quite, the exact same space. Minion frowned as he looked closely at the pot. Realisation hit him like a ton of bricks and he couldn't help the appalled outburst that sprang from his lips.

"Oh _Sir_!" He said loudly in shock as he turned and stood to glare accusingly at his boss, "I know that you have been... _enjoying_ yourself over the past couple of days, but this...this is just _wrong_!"

"What are you talking about, Minion?" Megamind said as he stared in shock at his friend.

"The emergency can of knock-out spray!" Minion said as he pointed to the plant behind him, "I can't _believe_ you would use it on her before... I mean, when... Oh _Sir_!"

"Minion, who the _hell _do you think I am?" Megamind asked, an angry scowl on his face. He knew exactly what the fish was accusing him off and it was most definitely not something he wanted his best friend to think he was capable of. "Now just calm down and explain what has got you so flustered. I never brought any of the spray with me!"

"But the emergency cannister, It's _gone _Sir."

Years ago, Megamind had decided that they needed to keep as many back up cannisters of the knock out spray as possible. There had been far too many times in the early months when they had run out of the concoction and had to drastically alter their plans for the ensuing chaos of a partially conscious captive. They did always carry the forget-me stick but Megamind had flat out refused to use that instrument on Roxanne no matter what the situation was. They had instead put a small can of the knock-out spray behind the plant pot containing the dragon plant. The plant had been a house warming gift for Roxanne from a friend when she had moved in and was never really tended to or disturbed in any way aside from the occasional, and often much needed, application of water. The can had remained undiscovered and undisturbed for a very long time and neither himself nor Minion has had any reason to use it in recent months.

"Gone?" Megamind asked as he sat up, staring intently at his friend, "But I haven't..."

"Sir, If you haven't used it and I haven't used it then..." Minion said as he tried desperately to think of a plausible explanation. "Maybe Roxanne..."

"If Roxanne had found it the she would have said something." Megamind said, his voice growing serious. His eyes dropped from Minion to stare vacantly ahead of himself as his mind ran over every possibility. An alarming sense of dread was washing over him as he failed to come up with an acceptable explanation.

"Sir," Minion said, deep in thought, "What did Roxanne say when she had to leave for work? What emergency was there?"

"I think..." Megamind said she he ran his hands down his face, "I think it was something about a fire... a fire at the hospital. I'm not sure, she didn't really say and I was still... oh _god_ I was still asleep and I just _let her go_!"

"Sir," Minion said as his voice quivered slightly, "Sir, this morning, before I came here... I checked on the reports from the patrolling Brainbots... there have been no reports of any fire. Not at the hospital or anywhere else in the city."

"But, then what..." Megamind said quietly as he struggled to make sense of what was happening. His eyes wandered again and his gaze dropped down to the coffee table in front of him. "Minion... did you bring these?" He said as he touched the sheets of glossy white paper with his finger tips.

"No Sir, I thought they were Roxanne's."

"They weren't there yesterday..." he picked up the pages carefully and turned them over. He shot to his feet instantly and jumped over to the large balcony windows, glaring furiously up at the only building that rose higher that Roxanne's apartment. "Get the brainbots to search that building, every _inch_ of it! Someone's taken her!"

"Sir?" Minion asked in panicked confusion, "Sir, what do you mean?"

"Someone_ saw_ us, Minion. Someone saw us and they have _taken_ her!" He growled through gritted teeth as his fingers tightened on the pages in his hands.

"I'll get the car ready Sir and get the command to the bots in this area. From the lair was can coordinate a wider search." Minion said as he ran from the apartment, not even bothering to activate the disguise generator.

Megamind glared out of the window for a few more moments before turning and running up the stairs to the bedroom. He had his jeans and shirt on and was running out of the door almost before the glossy photo paper landed on the floor, the crystal clear photo of the pair of the on the sofa, Roxanne sitting in Megamind's lap and clearly enjoying herself, her head thrown back and her chest arched out towards his eager mouth and her hands rubbed the back of his head to hold him close. The photos, clearly taken with a camera with a very good zoom lens from the high rise building on the other side of the street. The photos, clearly taken and _planted_in the apartment by someone who had no interest in congratulating the pair on their newly founded relationship.


	16. The making of a monster

_OK, this one was a pain the the backside to write! This is one chapter that I never planned on writing but as I went back over the last chapter, I realised that people really need to know what this creepy guy is about. While it is easy to hate someone without knowing anything about them, it is the overriding moral of this movie to not judge a book by it's cover. So I have given 'Mr Sinclaire' a chapter. _

_If I could sum him up in one word. it would be slimy._

* * *

><p>Leroy Francis Sinclaire had discovered from a very early age that he was not very good at much of anything. One thing he was good at was observing the people around him. His entire high school career was based upon observing his teachers and fellow classmates in order to find the easiest possible route through this section of his life. He acquainted himself with the students who were smart enough to know the answers and unpopular enough to accept any type of friendship they could get. He offered his services to any teacher who would give extra credit for a perceived show of extra curricular interest. After joining the school newspaper as a photo journalist he managed to capture one photo that would make his time in high school much easier than he could ever have imagined.<p>

The young Leroy, at the tender age of 15, sealed perfect grades for the rest of his high school life in exchange for not publishing a very telling photo of the Principal personally supervising a few extra curricular activities from the captain of the cheer-leading team.

Leroy's exceptional grades earned him a place at one of the country's top colleges where he specialised in photographic and investigative journalism and combined it with Law. After using his exceptional skill set to get ahead of the game at college he gained position as junior editor of the widely published college newspaper. His chief editor was a ruthless man who ran the paper with an iron fist of integrity and was quick to dismiss any of the young Leroy's attempts to gain or force favour. After one particularly daring attempt at gaining a bit of extra info on his 'boss' by talking his way past the college secretary in order to access the permanent record database, Leroy was called into the Principle's office office for a 'chat' with himself and his Editor. After managing to swing negotiations back round to his favour, Leroy managed to not only get the Principle to allow him to continue with his education, but also managed to scupper any future attempts on his position that the Editor may have had in mind. Knowledge was power and Leroy made darn sure that he was the one wielding it.

After graduation and with his powers of manipulation still considered his greatest asset, Leroy set out into the world to make a living for himself doing the only thing he really knew how. After a few months he found himself a position as an assistant researcher to one of the city's many Personal Injury Law firms and soon found himself working his way up through the small company. Within the year, the young Mr Sinclaire had purchased a small office in a seedier part of the Downtown business district and set up his own Private Eye and Solicitor business.

Leroy worked to the old-school rules of private investigation, he wasn't afraid of hiding behind bushes or picking through someone's rubbish bin to find the information he was after.

He also wasn't very picky over who his clients were, just as long as they were willing to pay for his services.

As the monotony of providing his services to untrusting housewives and suspicious employers caused Leroy's interest in the business to waver, he turned his attention to a more interesting client base. By the age of 30 it was Leroy Francis Sinclaire was working for most, if not all, of the major crime syndicates in Metro's dark and dismal underworld. While he insisted on keeping a certain level of confidentiality with this more sinister customers and insisted that payment is in clean cash. He also found that as a majority of the criminals in the city weren't very interesting in sharing information with each other, it was fairly easy to be working for all of them at the same time in one way or another.

What he had never expected, however, was the ferocity on which they all came together to discuss the most effective way of dealing with the city's resident Super Hero and his arch nemesis.

It was the biggest contract of Leroy Sinclaire's career. To find out how the crime bosses of Metro City could ensure that Metro Man stayed out of their way, Leroy threw all of his skills of manipulation to get as much information as possible. The Hero proved a very difficult person to get any useful information on, mainly because Wayne Scott, despite being a bit on the dim side, was as clean as they come. Leroy spend weeks trying to find anything he could use against the Hero and then, in one moment of utter clarity, realisation dawned like the sun. The only blot on the Hero's record was that he seemed to be almost totally oblivious to the petty crimes of the human population.

The battles between the Hero and Villain were legendary and often destroyed much more of the city than if the villain had been given free reign in the first place. But even when the pair were not duelling in the skies above the city, Metro Man never paid any attention to the criminal underworld unless it was happening right in front of him. Drugs rings, prostitution, money laundering and premeditated murder were all issues that the super powered muscle man was content to leave to the police.  
>Megamind, on the other hand, was an entirely different matter. At first the crime gangs had been somewhat interested in using the would-be overlord to do their dirty work for them. He was young, impetuous and rather impressionable, not to mention the fact that he had grown up with a great many members of the criminal gangs inside the Metro City Prison. In many ways they were practically related.<p>

Yet, for some reason, the rebel turned villain was the biggest thorn in the side of the criminal underworld. His robotic pets kept up regular patrols of the city and he often sent out a number of his larger, more menacing mechanical creations to defend what he repeatedly referred to as 'his patch'. The sweat shops, drugs houses, money laundering companies and cat houses were all repeatedly turned over and whatever valuable commodities they contained were either destroyed or taken for the villains own personal gains. Yet there were very few aspects of the bad guy's personality that Leroy found he could work with. Being 'evil', the boy's life was filled with a great many reprehensible deeds, but holding a criminal act against a criminal was a very infective form of blackmail and they man's own moral code prevented him from being turned to the side of the criminal gangs who's actions often seemed to make Megamind rather upset.

After nearly 10 years of trying to find a way to get to the villain, Leroy was absolutely dumbfounded to see an opportunity simply walk past the end of his nose.

...*...

Leroy often resorted to ambulance chasing in order to earn his legitimate living and the evening of one of the largest explosions in the city's history rocked it's foundations. Leroy had been parked in a favourite spot of his down the side of the City Hall, whiling away the early evening hours by listening to the police scanner in his car when the sky was suddenly lit up by a flash of bright orange flame and the loudest noise he had ever heard in his life. As he looked up in shock he saw the majestic marble statue of the city's hero shrouded in black smoke and flame as huge marble boulders, shattered glass and tons and tons of dust and debris rained down from the sky where the explosion had thrown them. In amongst the destruction, hurtling through the air surrounded by blue lights, were two bodies falling towards the fountain, silhouetted against the bright flames from the site of the explosion behind. Leroy watched as the two bodies hit the water hard. He got out of the car and watched as one figure rose suddenly from the water, gasping and coughing in an attempt to get some much needed air.

"Megamind?" the shrill cry of a woman cut above the roar of the fire and the sound of the debris still falling from the sky. Leroy found himself crouching by the edge of the fountain in the shadows as he watched her searching for the other body that had fallen from the sky. After taking a deep breath she ducked back under the water and stayed down for what felt like a very long time. As the last pieces of debris and torn paper fluttered down from the sky, everything seemed to go deathly calm as the woman searched under the water for her companion.

The moment she burst through the silvery surface of the water again, all the sounds of the situation in front of him came flooding back into reality. The woman, who's identity he couldn't quite make out, clambered over the edge of the fountain and dragged a very unconscious yet incredibly unmistakable body out behind her.

As Megamind fell over the edge of the fountain and landed lifelessly on his back on the pavement, he could hear the woman crying out to him, tears clearly evident in the tone of her voice. He watched as she pushed against the alien's chest before placing her mouth over his in a desperate attempt to breath life back into his body.  
>Leroy was stunned, not only that this whole situation was happening in front of his very eyes, but that a seemingly ordinary woman was trying so hard to save the life of this villain, her heart obviously breaking into a million pieces with each passing second. Eventually the man on the floor heaved an almighty gasp before chocking and coughing up far more water than Leroy would have imagined could get in a person's lungs. He remained hidden in the shadows yet absolutely transfixed as the alien reached over for the woman crying at his side and clung onto her as if his life depended on it. Both were shaking with more than just the cold of the night air on their soaking wet clothes as she rocked him in her arms and pressed her face against the top of his giant bald head. The trembling alien pulled away from the woman slightly and looked up into her eyes. Even in the fluctuating light from the burning museum Leroy could see that the expression on his face was one of wonder and amazement.<br>Leroy's wits suddenly returned to him as he pulled a small camera out from his jacket pocket. He cursed himself for not picking up his larger camera from the passenger seat of his car as he held the camera up and snapped as many photos as possible in the hopes of getting something useful.

The sound of a car screeching to a halt caused him to drop down behind the side of the fountain as he tried to see where the vehicle was coming from. A sudden burst of light appeared from thin air as the bulky form of Megamind's sidekick leapt out of a hole in the air.

"Sir! Miss Ritchie!" The sidekick yelled as he leaped out of the 'hole' in the air. Leroy peered over the edge of the fountain in shock as the hulking form of the robotic gorilla looked frantically down at the trembling couple.

"_Roxanne Ritchie_?" Leroy whispered to himself as he tried to focus on the woman's face. It was difficult to tell for sure with the bright light from the fire in front of him, blinding him to the finer details and casting everything else between himself and the museum into flickering shadows.

His mind suddenly whirled to life as he watched the gorilla pry the alien from the woman's grasp as she told him to get going before the authorities found him. A police office was running towards them from the site of the explosion and the two villains seemed to barely make their escape before the officer reached that spot. Leroy, camera in hand, quickly snapped as many photos as possible as the woman reached into the water and pulled out what looked to be the villain's cape before she bundled it up and turned to face the running officer.

Leroy slinked away from the edge of the fountain as the officer led the woman back to the gartering emergency services vehicles in order for her to be checked out by the ambulance crew. He jumped into his car and quickly pulled away from the side of the town hall and headed down the side streets around the backs of the buildings surrounding the plaza. After finding a parking space in an alley way he grabbed his hat and camera and hurried over to the hastily constructed police barricade where a small group of people were already beginning to gather. He pulled the hat lower down over his face as he skirted along the edge of a building at the side of the small crowd. There were lots of people murmuring about how it must have been Megamind who attacked the building and about how Metro Man must have already caught the villain and hauled him back to prison. A few people had started to cry at the loss of the great statue of their beloved hero. Leroy rolled his eyes and brought the large camera up to his face to scan across the emergency services personnel at the entrance to the demolished museum.

After a few moments he saw her. As two paramedics standing by the open back of an ambulance parted, they revealed the clearly shaken Miss Roxanne Ritchie, sitting on the back of the ambulance as she was being examined by the medical team. The shutter of the camera flashed open rapidly as Leroy captured everything he could on film. He grinned to himself as he zoomed in further to the woman's form, focusing on the dripping wet back material the she was clutching to her chest. A warm blanket was draped over her shoulders and she pulled it closer to herself as a police officer began to ask her a few questions about what had happened.

After a few moments to officer nodded to the woman and jogged back over to his commanding officer, closer to the crowd. Leroy strained to listen as the officer relayed the woman's statement to his boss.

"...said she never saw him Sir. But this looks like his work to me. It _stinks_ of Megamind."

"So what did she say, how was she caught up in this?" The commanding officer said as he watched Roxanne stand up at the back of the ambulance and shake her head, refusing further medical treatment.

"She says she was walking by the fountain, she had just finished filming a report with her camera man... Hal... Stewart. She wanted some time alone so she refused a ride home with Stewart and took a walk around the fountain. Then the Museum exploded and the force of the blast pushed her into the water."

"_She's covering for Megamind_?" Leroy whispered under his breath as he watched the woman, who was becoming increasingly agitated with the paramedic's attentions. He continued taking photos as he watched them hand her a clip board with some forms to sign before she handed back the blanket and hurried off in the opposite direction.

Later that night, as Leroy was working in his dark room developing the photos, he grinned madly to himself. One photo, illuminated by a small surge in the flames of the burning museum, clearly showed the city's villain gazing in wonder into the eyes of a very clearly relieved Roxanne Ritchie.

"This," He said to himself as he held the photo up in front of himself, "_this _I can use!"

...*...

"Can I help you Sir?" A nurse asked as Leroy strolled into the Metro City Hospital ER. She raised an eyebrow at him from her position behind the desk as he scanned the faces of the occupants of the room.

"A friend of mine was involved in the explosion at the museum." He said absently, without looking at the woman behind the desk.

"I'm sorry Sir, I can't give out patient information unless you are a family member." She said as she turned back to her computer, continuing with her work.

Leroy moved his way through the waiting area and took a seat against the back wall where he could have a clear view of the main entrance. Never being above ambulance chasing, he focused his attention on the conversations going on around him. Making notes of names and descriptions of various accidents people had suffered. It was always worth learning the identity of people who actually had suffered an injury that wasn't their fault when in the business of personal injury law. He did not, however, have to wait long for his real prize to grace him with her presence.

As the sun rose over the city and the early morning rush came into the ER complaining about everything from sudden and excruciating headaches to broken legs sustained overnight somehow, Roxanne Ritchie slipped into the busy waiting room clutching her arm to her chest. Leroy watched from under the rim of his hat as she booked herself in and then made her way over to a quiet corner of the room. He smiled to himself as he took out his notebook and began scribbling away in his almost illegible shorthand while simultaneously muttering into a Dictaphone held to his lips. As the hours ticked by he continued to watch her from under the rim of his glasses, intrigued at the way she was acting as if she really didn't want to be seen by anyone. Her arm was obviously the reason she was in this place by the way she was cradling it against her chest and there was some obvious swelling in her hand and wrist.

Roxanne shifted positions against the wall she was leaning on and somehow managed to remove herself from his line of sight. With a slightly aggravated sigh, Leroy shuffled over a couple of seats so he could just about see her once again.

"Hey you!" Roxanne's voice shouting out over the din of the room snapped his attention away from the notebook in his hands, "Yeah, you with the note pad! It's Roxanne! Two 'n's' and one 'e'!" She looked him directly in the eye as she pointed at him with a mocking smirk before she turned and followed the nurse into the treatment area.

Leroy stood from his seat and made his way out of the busy waiting room and back to his car. As he passed an alleyway at the side of the hospital, something flashed in the corner of his eye, quickly drawing his attention. He frowned as his eyes scanned over the alleyway but found nothing of interest before he continued on his way.

"Ritchie definitely did not have such a severe injury last night after the explosion." He said into his Dictaphone after he had reached his car, "By the level of ... _concern_ she showed towards Megamind, I'd say that she was _more_ than just his victim. The way he looked at her... it was nothing short of worship. There is definitely something going on.

"Her injuries were not sustained in the explosion, something must have happened after the event. _Maybe_ she went to _him_..."  
>He sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. The villain definitely seemed to have some sort of a 'soft spot' for the reporter and that information alone was worth it's weight in gold to Megamind's enemies.<p>

...*...

"Well, I'll give you one thing Sinclaire, This is most interesting indeed." Derek Ikura said as he looked at the grainy photos the man on the other side of the large mahogany desk had handed over to him at the beginning of the meeting. Two very big and bulky men dressed in black jeans and black t-shirts, biceps bulging out from under the sleeves, stood on either side of their boss's chair as they watched Leroy like a hawk.

Derek Ikura, the head of one of the biggest criminal gangs in the city, ran his fingers over his short cut beard as he scrutinised the photos carefully. Megamind had been a thorn in his side ever since the child had landed within the grounds of Metro City Prison, always causing such a commotion and far too clever for his own good. Derek had been a 'guest' of the facility at the time and up until the kid's arrival, he had been well on his way to making his reputation something to fear, even more so than it had been before he found himself in the cursed place. After the child had landed, everything had gone against him, especially the tightening of prison security following every single one of the boy's breakouts. That had made it almost impossible for anyone else to manage the same task without getting caught.

After he had served his time for the only crime that they had managed to actually pin on him, Derek had returned to the dark streets of Metro City's gangland and had quickly restored his reputation and standing within the criminal subculture. Now, as the head of one of the biggest gangs in the city, he found himself once again held back from his true potential by the meddling of the blue alien that had plagued him for so many years. A grin split his face as he studied Megamind's expression in the photos.

"Well, I never thought I would actually say this, Sinclaire." He said as he raised one eyebrow at the investigator, "You've done well. This, this we can actually use!"

"I hoped you would say that Mr Ikura. I have … acquired access to a building across the street from her apartment. Sooner or later he is going to show up there. These photos are _good_, but not nearly good enough to get him to do as we say." Leroy said with a smirk as he leaned back in the chair, very pleased with himself. He failed to notice the look that Derek shot him when he said the word 'we'.

"Oh I wouldn't worry too much about getting him to do what '_we_' say." The man said as he ran his fingers over the photograph, "Go and get whatever evidence you think you might need Sinclair. If Megamind has developed some form of ... _attachment_ to the lovely Roxanne Ritchie, then she is very much a person of interest to us. I think I would enjoy having the opportunity to _chat_ with her in the not too distant future."

"I had a feeling you might say that." Leroy said, his grin slipping a bit at the sinister air that the man in front of him gave off.

"We need a way to get to _her_ as well. I want access to her _entire life_. Find out where she goes after work, where she eats, what bars she goes to on a Saturday night and what drinks she buys. I want to know _everything_ about this woman. Do you understand me?" Derek leaned forwards as his face contorted into a sneer. The various ways of using this woman to make Megamind pay for all of the trouble he had caused were running round and round inside his head.

"By the time I'm finished, I'll be able to tell you what brand of mouthwash she uses in the morning." With a nod, Leroy stood up and was escorted out of the dingy office by one of the large body guards.

#

After several days of researching all of Roxanne Ritchie's favourite haunts, Leroy Sinclair came to the startling conclusion that the woman had _no_ social life what so ever. She never went out for a drink with the people from work, she rarely went out to any of the major restaurants around the city, the only thing she tended to visit on a weekly basis was a local grocery store but that hardly gave the investigator much of an opening.

After contacting a friend of his in city planning, he had managed to gain access to the new apartment complex that was still under construction across the street from Roxanne's apartment. After paying the foreman for his silence, Leroy set up in an apartment one level higher than Roxanne's and aimed his very best camera and telephoto lens into her apartment. She was still at work, having only just returned after gaining the mysterious broken wrist that had her arm encased in plaster for the next few weeks. His sources told him that she had checked herself out of the hospital early and against medical advice and that Metro Man himself had been in to visit her but that had not gone down very well with the young reporter.

As Leroy fussed over his camera a flash of light caught his eye. Squinting through the camera's viewfinder and adjusting the lens to account for the reflections on her balcony windows, he watched as she moved through her apartment and didn't have to wait long until things got interesting.

He got a few decent shots of her standing out on her balcony as she indulged in a cigarette. Hardly the revelation his employers were hoping for but one of the trashy magazines would buy the photo, especially after she had run a story on how the tobacco industry was single handedly increasing the populations risk of lung cancer. Leroy grinned when an all too familiar flash of white landed behind her on the balcony and only grinned wider when it became clear the pair were having an argument. One photo in particular managed to capture the furious snarl on Roxanne's face as she turned away from the Hero, and the look of absolute shock and defeat on his face as he sank down against the wall of the balcony. As the hero flew away with his tail between his legs, Leroy sighed and sat back, never in a million years expecting what was about to unfold in front of his eyes.

The camera's shutter was working overtime as Megamind appeared out of thin air on the woman's balcony in the fading light. Leroy ground his teeth together as he hurriedly switched to a low light lens in an attempt to retain the picture quality that he needed. He watched with a smirk as the pair moved closer together, sharing a cigarette before they gave him exactly what he had been waiting for. The kiss, that they shared was of the type that would be seen as part of a Hollywood blockbuster, ended and the villain disappeared like smoke right in front of his eyes. Leroy smiled as he wound back the film in his camera. He had a feeling that he was about to become a very rich man.

...*...

"Hey, I know you," he said with a friendly smile as a man sat on the stool next to his in the inner city wine bar, "You're the camera man that works with that woman on the telly, aren't you?"

"Yeah, what's it to you?" Hal said as he tried to get the bartenders attention and ordered a beer. The barman rolled his eyes as he walked away to get the man his beverage, never understanding why someone would come to such a classy establishment and order a beer.

"Well," Leroy said as he sent a knowing look to the slobbish man, "I was just thinking that you must be so _lucky,_ getting to work with such a _fox_!"

"Yeah well, Roxanne and I have a very... close relationship if you get what I mean." Hal said with a smirk as he nudged the man with his elbow. Hal had no idea who the strange guy in a brown trench coat was, but he was right on the money about Roxanne

"Really? You mean you two are...?" Leroy said as he leaned in closer.

"Well, lets just say," he said with a grin splitting his face, "Roxanne finds me _indispensable_!"

"Well, I'll drink to that man!" He clinked his wine glass together with Hal's beer bottle and watched as the short man.

Later that night, as Leroy managed to get Hal into a taxi and send him on his way home, he grinned to himself. He was astounded at the level of this man's delusions with regards to Roxanne Ritchie, but that delusion was exactly what he needed. The plan that Derek Ikura had instructed him on would require a way in that Leroy could not get on his own. It was easy to snatch someone when they went out at night and got a little tipsy, but as the woman never seemed to socialise then he would need a way of getting closer. Hal was his way in. The man would be easily led and if he could convince himself that Roxanne was in _love_ with him deep down and only needed to realise it, then Leroy would have no trouble convincing the slovenly man of anything he wanted.

...*...

It was a few weeks later when Leroy got his big break. After spending far too long in a fruitless surveillance operation from the safety and comfort of the empty apartment building across the street, Leroy couldn't believe his eyes when he saw none other than Megamind himself stroll out onto Roxanne's balcony wearing a white bathrobe. He had the hood of the robe pulled up over his head but his figure was unmistakable. Roxanne was standing with her back to him, as she leaned on the balcony wall smoking, when Megamind walked up behind her and reached his arms around her.

His camera flashed away as he watched the pair talking before they became much more intimate, even playful, with each other. Leroy grinned as he watched Megamind tempt Roxanne back into the apartment through the balcony doors.

"C'mon, give me something good" Leroy hissed to himself as he quickly attached a speciality lens to the front of his camera. As he zoomed in close to the balcony windows he bit his bottom lip as he made a multitude of fine adjustments to the focus and settings of the lens until the glare cast against the windows from the rising sun was cancelled out and he had a clear view into the apartment.

He found he was holding his breath as he watched the alien pull the woman down onto his lap and pushed the robe down off her shoulders revealing her completely naked body. While the finer points of their anatomy were obscured by the arm of the sofa, it was abundantly clear what they were doing and _exactly_ how willing the woman was.

"Well then," Leroy said with a chuckle as he took photo after photo of the oblivious couple, "I guess it's time for the villain to fall into someone else's trap for a change!"

He grinned as he captured a few very telling shots of the pair basking in the aftermath of their activities before taking his cell phone from his bag and dialling the number of a man he knew would follow any instruction with blind optimism.

"Hal? It's Leroy, from the other night" He said when the man on the other end answered the phone with a groggy "what's up?"

"No, no! That's _not _why I'm calling," He said as he gritted his teeth together and pinched the bridge of his nose, "No, Hal, believe me, I am most _certainly_ not _that_ way inclined, now just shut up for a moment would you? I'm calling about Roxanne!

"Listen, I think she is in trouble. No, not just another kidnapping. I think Megamind has really _done_ something to her this time!" He held the phone away from his ear as Hal yelled out a string of curses and death threats.

"I agree, someone needs to do something to help her, and what with Metroman being … away or something...

"Listen, can you meet me at about 1 o'clock, at the bar from the other night. I have an idea on how we can help Roxanne get this blue git out of her hair once and for all."

* * *

><p><em>AN: Whew! Glad this one is out of the way. So... yes... That's Mr Sinclaire. The reasons for him being so rough with Roxanne...well that will be explained properly later. And, for those of you who have read "Whatever you are, be a good one." the 'Derek' in this is kind of the same Derek as in that... the stories would kind of tie in a little bit... I just borrowed him from myself. And I will be going back to that story as soon as I properly get my head around what happens when you change chapters... mainly, what happens to the reviews if I completely rewrite a few chapters?_

_Anywhoo... Back to a very angry Megs next chapter._

_Oh... and no offence is meant to any lawyers out there. I'm sure you guys are nice really._


	17. The hunt is on

_I know, it's been forever since the last update and this one is very short indeed! This section of the story just seemed to refuse to let itself be put down on paper! I came very close to saying "oh forget it! Let's just skip to the bit where Megamind kicks the door down and tells everyone to reach for the skies!" But... nah, that didnt sit right. So, ere is a bit of something to keep ya'll sweet. I promise the wait for the next update wil not be such a long time._

* * *

><p>"I have done everything you have asked me to and now I expect you to hold up your side of the bargain!" Sinclaire hissed into his cell phone as he paced the length of the wall. He had been growing more and more agitated as the hours ticked by, obviously waiting for something to happen, something that apparently should have happened already.<p>

"No, I'm not giving you orders," He said as he hesitated, almost missing a step as he turned on his heel, running his hand through his hair. His face had grown pale and whatever it was the other person was saying to him, it had the investigator very nervous indeed.

Roxanne blinked slowly, trying to ignore the throbbing in the back of her skull. She grit her teeth against the ache in the backs of her eyes as she watched him through the hair that had fallen down over her face. She was slumped forwards in the chair, the ropes tied around her torso holding her upright. She could hardly feel the bite of the ropes any more, a tingling numbness had spread through her entire body and she wondered, absently, if she was going to pass out soon. Her mind was screaming at her to stay conscious, so she focused everything on doing the job she had trained to do her entire life.

She focused all of her nosey reporter skills on the man pacing nervously in front of her.

"Look Ikura, I got the photos, I got access to her flat, I even got her straight from under the nose of the blue freak, now it's your turn! I got what you wanted, now it's your job to handle the next phase." Sinclaire said in a measured tone as he glanced sideways at his captive. He scowled at the response he got before ending the call and throwing the phone across the room with a snarl.

"No don't! I've not got anything, try the old lady..." Hal yelped as the phone crashed against the wall behind him, starting him awake, "Hey man, what got you in a bunch?"

"Shut up!" Sinclare spat as he leaned against the metal table. His job was to gather evidence, nothing more, he had already gone way beyond his remit by having the woman brought here, and now... Derek Ikura was supposed to come and collect the girl and then handle things from there. That had been the plan. Gather enough evidence to bury the woman and then ensure that Megamind knew what would happen if he didn't ply by their rules. It was a simple plan that, aside from requiring the involvement of the bumbling oaf sitting in the chair in front of him, had gone exceptionally well, now the hot water was rising and his urge to head for this hills was becoming increasingly insistent.

"So, like, is she all better now?" the nasal quality in Hal's voice was seriously beginning to grate on the taller man's nerves as he stood and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Oh no, Hal." Sinclaire said with an exasperated sigh, "It's going to take bit more than this. Looks like plans have changed." His voice faded off into a mumble as he attempted to put his phone back together. With a grumbling sigh he stood suddenly and after pointing at the chair that Hal was sitting in, signalling for the sulking man to stay put, he left the room slamming the metal door shut behind him. The sound of his footsteps were instantly lost behind the thick concrete walls as Roxanne was left alone in the room with her new kidnapper.

/

Fearful hazel eyes scanned the computer monitors hurriedly, reading over every report that came in while at the same time watching the many different security feeds being broadcast from all across the city. The cavernous lair behind him was dark and quiet, so much more than usual, adding to hideous atmosphere that had descended.

A flash of lightning illuminated the building for scant seconds, casting it's contents in stark contrast between brilliant white and deep shadows. The storm had blown over the city early that morning, giving them a very appropriate background to the frantic search conducted of the buildings surrounding Roxanne's apartment. Minion wondered, not for the first time, if his boss was in some way able to manipulate the weather to match him mood.

His worried gaze moved over to the footage recorded from the apartment building opposite Roxanne's. The brainbots had quickly managed to identify the angle at which the photos had been taken and had led their master directly to the apartment from which had been taken. There had been little evidence to fine, whoever had been watching was good at his task, and that knowledge troubled Megamind more than he wanted to admit. He had stayed there for a long time, staring down at Roxanne's balcony from the very spot that her abductor had occupied only the day before.

After setting tasks for the surrounding Brainbots in a deathly calm voice, Megamind swept out of the apartment and declared his intent to search every inch of the city himself if he had to. Minion had pleaded for him to return to the lair first, to get some of his inventions together, the dehydration gun included, and to properly coordinate the search with the brainbots. After a while Megamind had grudgingly relented and allowed Minion to drive him back to the lair at break-neck speed, all the while his eyes scanning the streets that sped by.

Minion sighed as his eyes returned to the reports sent in from the Brainbots. How could one woman disappear so completely in an instant? The call to her mobile had been recovered, Megamind having long since tapped into the network and set up a program to record all of her calls onto the lair's computer. _Hal_. Her bumbling cameraman had mentioned something about an emergency that their boss needed them to cover. Minion frowned as no such event had occurred and neither had her boss put in a request for her to attend any news story.

The ping of a new search result sounded across the lair as an intercepted email appeared on the monitor directly in front of him. Minion frowned as he recognised the name on the email as being the producer at Roxanne's station and from the looks of it, it had been sent to someone in the Metro City Police Department.

"_Hi John_," Minion muttered out loud as he read the email to himself, "_I need to put a trace on one of the news vans. One of them has been taken from the compound but it hasn't been signed out. It's the one that Roxanne Ritchie and Hal Stuart use, it's not like her to forget to sign the van out, and its most definitely not like Stuart to come in to work on a Sunday! I've attached the vehicle documents to this email, I would appreciate it if you could activate the LoJack on it. I know I may be overreacting, but I just have a bad feeling about this. Stuart isn't answering any of my calls, which isn't really unusual, but Roxanne's cell is out of signal range. _

"_I want to avoid the network exec's finding out about this too soon, especially if it is just a misunderstanding. I'd appreciate it if you could keep it on the quiet until we know what is going on_."

Minion blinked as he stared at the email. He had the distinct impression that the colour has just drained from his scales and he wanted to slap himself for being so stupid! His robotic fingers typed hurriedly over the keyboard as he hacked into the LoJack security system while at the same time patching the orbital satellite high above the city into the cell phone network. If her cell was out of signal range then that meant she was either well outside of the city limits or she was underground somewhere. Once the Death Ray satellite, which had been fitted with an array of other devices including communication receptors, had warmed up they would be able to use it to boost the signal to Roxanne's phone.

Minion entered the vehicle's security identification into the LoJack network and activated the device before diverting the signal to the lair's computer and then covering his tracks into the system. Bypassing the firm's security systems had the helpful effect of allowing instant access to the vehicle's recorded movements.

Minion took a deep breath as he lifted his wrist up to his dome, his hand hovering over the tiny buttons of the communication watch. Megamind had left in such a dark mood, changing quickly into his Villain suit and leaping up into the cockpit of the spider bod. What had alarmed Minion the most was that he had the De-Gun set firmly to Destroy and was fully intending on using it.

"Sir?" Minion said tentatively into the wristwatch.

"What?" Megamind's voice snapped back through the communicator, Minion could hear the tension in his friends voice and quickly stifled his urge to ask the man to calm down.

"Sir, I've just intercepted an email from Miss Ritchie's boss. Her news van is missing from the station compound and her cameraman can't be located-"

"Her _van?_" Megamind snapped impatiently, Minion could almost hear the thousand new plans and thoughts running through his head.

"Yes Sir, The van has a 'LoJack' fitted in case of theft...a, err, tracking device of sorts-"

"A _tracking device_? Well what the hell are you waiting for you dimwitted creation of science? We don't have time to be messing around! Access the systems now and find that signal!" Megamind snarled angrily, his voice distorting slightly as it emerges from the watches speaker.

"Way ahead of you sir, I'm transferring the van's last known coordinates to the Spider Bot now." The fish said as he watched the progress bar for the data transfer complete, "I'm also firing up the Death Ray satellite so that we can boost the signal to her cell phone. Her boss says that he has been trying to call but it is out of signal range. If she still has it with her, we may be able to find her that way."

"Good, Minion." Megamind sighed as a rustling sound invaded the signal for a moment. Minion smiled sadly, his boss was probably rubbing at the back of his neck, under his collar, a behavioural trait he had picked up at some point which was a dead give-away to the amount of emotional distress he was feeling.

"We _will _find her Sir," Minion said quietly as he turned back to the monitor, watching the Death Ray warm up far too slowly.

"...and when I do, the person who took her will wish they never existed!" Megamind hissed darkly before cutting off the communicator. His voice sent shivers through Minion's body, laced with such a deadly promise of vengeance that Minion barely even recognised his life long friend.

It was obvious now that the woman had had such a profound affect upon his master's life, that he had completely changed in a matter of a few weeks.

/

Green eyes flashed with anger as he watched a tiny green dot appear on the radar screen in front of him. Hit fingernails dug into his palms even through his leather gloves as his hands fisted tightly at his sides. He fought down the urge to claw his hands down his face from the top of his head, a trait he had pick up at an early age from one of the more disturbed inmates at the prison. The mad had some serious issues with himself inside his own head and his internal arguments often resulted in trips to the infirmary with blood drying under his own fingernails.

He had felt himself pale to a light blue shade when Minion had mentioned the potential involvement of the news van and the tracking device it contained. That possibility had never even entered his mind! He had been aware that Roxanne had been called into work to cover an event that had never actually happened, but he had never in a million years thought hat the call itself could have been the bait. He had been working under the assumption that whoever had taken her and not only set her up but also her colleagues at the station.

The cameraman, Hal Stuart, had never really been of interest to Megamind or Minion during their campaign against Metro Man. The bumbling fool never acted in any way that could have been interpreted as defensive, on the contrary, he had always seemed to be oblivious to the woman's kidnappings. Minion often forgot he was there at all. The thought that this man had something to do with Roxanne's disappearance brought Megamind's anger to a boil as he commanded the Spiderbot to hurry towards the last known coordinates of Roxanne's news van.

/

Every nerve and muscle in Roxanne's body jerked violently as the sensation of a cold wash-cloth assaulted her neck and shoulder. The hand that then appeared against her thigh didn't help calm her thudding heart as she was brought out of the fitful sleep she had dropped into. Considering she had spent most of her working life tied to a chair or devise of some sort, she found that this was the single most exhausting experience of them all.

She glared at Hal out of the corner of her eye as she did her best to jerk her body away from him. He ran the cloth up and down her neck and onto her shoulder, somehow managing to find every tiny piece of grit left over from her fall against the concrete floor and grind it deeper into the various cuts and abrasions she had received. Blisters caused by the ropes tied haphazardly around her felt like they had been set on fire as the cold water washed over them and soaked into the ropes adding to her discomfort. She almost chuckled to herself as she realised he was unwittingly finding so many ways to make her situation worse than it already was.

"Get your hands off me!" Roxanne hissed with as much anger in her voice as she could manage. She had no idea how long she had been here, it could have been days for all she knew and it sure felt like it had been. She gritted her teeth and tried to suppress the tremble of revulsion that spread through her as his hand tightened slightly on her thigh. From the look on his face he considered the gesture to be one of reassurance.

"Roxanne, it's OK, it's only me." He said, taking her reaction to be the result of some form of confusion from not having woken up properly. He had been sitting across the room watching her as she slept, her face twitching from time to time with whatever dream she had been having. His heart had twisted within his chest as he through of what kind of nightmarish scenes she was watching in her own head, no doubt the result of the terrible things that the blue alien had done to her. He had smiled to himself as he thought of her nightmare as a sign that whatever mind control was still in her system was finally wearing off.

"Stop it Hal! Don't _touch_ me!" She yelled, grimacing to herself as her voice cracked slightly with barely suppressed tears. The fact that they were tears of anger made little difference to her and she suspected that Hal would not be able to tell the difference anyway.

"Roxie, I..." Hal said softly as he pulled away from her. His heart was breaking watching her go through this, but despite how harsh this situation was on it's own, he wholeheartedly believed it was for her own good. "Look, I know it's tough Roxie, But Mr Sinclaire says-"

"Oh well if _Mr Sinclaire _says it's OK then who am I to argue?" She said bitterly, her voice heavy with sarcasm as she rolled her eyes. She suddenly had the very un-ladylike urge to spit on the man still crouching far too close to her side in order to get him to back off. "Since when have you ever listened to a single damn thing anyone has ever said? Hal, this is _crazy_! This is _kidnapping_, do you even realise that?"

"Mr Sinclaire-"

"Is just some flunkie who is doing the dirty work for someone else! Hal, this isn't about rescuing me from some monster, this is about some damn vendetta from someone who doesn't want to get his hands stuck in!" Roxanne's voice reverberated off the concrete walls as she found a new pool of angry energy, "You heard him on the phone, Hal, he's getting_ paid_ by someone to do this and that person keeps changing the game plan! Come on Hal, do you really think that this is being done for _my_ benefit?" She gestured to the rest of the room with her head.

"Roxie..." Hal said as he frowned, looking around the cavernous room.

"Hal, look, he's gone off somewhere. Just untie me a little, you can say that I got myself free. He never needs to know that you helped me!" Roxanne said softly, hope lighting up in her eyes for he first time since this ordeal started.

Hal stood and stared at her, concern and confusion mixing together in his expression. His hands lifted, seemingly of their own volition, towards the ropes securing her to the chair. She carefully schooled her expression into one of gentle hopefulness as she watched his hands drift towards the ropes. She didn't want her excitement at the thought of getting free to spook him and she definitely didn't want him to know that she was more than ready to take him down if she had to.

Another bright flash of lightning cast the room in an an eerie mix of bright light and dark shadows as it blasted in through the grime covered windows around the top of the room. Hal blinked as the noise of the thunder echoed around the empty building.

Roxanne could feel the colour drain again from her face as she Hal pulled his hands back. He took a step away from her and hung his head, refusing to meet Roxanne's panicked eyes. He shook his head as if attempting to clear it and organise his thoughts. Hal wondered if she had always had this ability to confuse him, to get him to do whatever she wanted him to do. The ability to talk herself out of what he knew was better for her.

"Roxie, I..." He said as he looked up at her calmly, her expression gave him pause, she looked so broken as tears flooded her eyes, drawing lines in the grime that covered her face. "I need to think." He muttered to himself as he turned away from her.

"Hal?" Roxanne said shakily as she watched him walk towards the door, "Hal! HAL!"

/

"This is_ crazy_! God, what the hell is going on?" He said as he paced up and down the sheltered walkway across the back of the building. Judging by the size of the rolling shutter doors that concealed the van's parking space, this was intended to be a loading bay for whatever store was due to move into the building. From where he was standing he could see the small windows sitting close to the ground that marked the location of the basement where the woman was tied up.

She was right. He had _kidnapped_ her. He had done the one thing that he had always complained about Megamind doing every day he saw her. He had even taken her using the very same spray that Megamind had used on her during every kidnapping he had ever performed. Hal could see another version of himself inside his head, pointing an accusing finger as if to say that he really was no better then the alien that had been the bane of his and Roxanne's existence for so many years.

He stopped his pacing and leaned back against the brick watt of the building, watching the rain as it cascaded off the sheltering canopy of the walkway. The noise of the rain drowned out everything else as it battered against the metal canopy and the concrete floor of the delivery yard. The water was pooling in places, reflecting an eerie glow from the few street lights that could be seen over the perimeter wall.

The building was a half completed redevelopment project to bring an out-of-town shopping district to the run-down suburbs of Metro City. The graffiti on the walls displayed the local communities negative reaction to the project as it counted, in places, the number of families that had been forcibly relocated to make space for the unfinished development.

The storm overhead blocked out any light that may have been cast from the moon and stars and the bright lights of the city were too far away to cast any beneficial light on the dark property. He had turned on the yellow security lighting to brighten the dingy space, not really thinking of anyone spotting the lights at the empty building. Hal frowned as another flash of lightning lit up the sky and seemed to cast a silver-blue reflection in the pooling water on the floor in front of him.

With a shrug, Hal turned and shuffled his way back inside the building, letting the door swing closed behind him.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Again, I'm sorry it is so short and bitty. I've had the next chapter in my head since this story started, so it should not take me too long to get it out.<em>

_Also, I don't own LoJack (or **A** lojack for that matter), in fact the only reason I know of the thing is because they mention it on some American cop shows. Other car security systems are available from all good stockists. ;)_


	18. The rescue of Roxanne Ritchie

_It's strange how a 5 page chapter can take months to get out and a 9 page chapter just 1 week! Heh! Here is the scene that I have had inside my head since I began writing this story!_

_Time does a little bit of hopping around here but I think that it should be easy to follow. Each change in perspective marks a time jump backwards untill all perspectives reach the same point._

* * *

><p>Hal shuffled back into the building, shaking rainwater from his boots as he ambled through the bare concrete loading bay of the abandoned building. The news van was still sitting in the centre of the space where he had left it. He grimaced as he realised he would have to take it back to the station soon, before someone noticed it was missing in the morning. He had hoped that Roxanne would have been fixed by now, that way he could head in to work with her in the morning and everything would be good for a change!<p>

She would be so grateful that he had helped her out of the situation that she had gotten herself into that she would agree to go out to dinner with him. He would take her to the local pizza joint where they did a special offer on Monday nights and then he would naturally offer to take her back to her place. She would invite him up for coffee and one thing would lead to another and the next this he would know would be what it is like to wake up next to the foxy woman!

He grinned to himself as he sauntered around the empty space whilst humming to himself, lost in his fantasy of what it would actually be like for Roxanne to finally realise she was in love with him. It was so frustrating, working so closely with her and having to watch her deny her true feelings every day.

While Mr Sinclaire wasn't nearly as cool as he had thought he was in the beginning, he did know what he was talking about. Sure, he had bosses he had to report back to, who didn't? But for Roxanne to think that Mr Sinclaire was just doing someone else's dirty work... he just wanted to get Roxanne out of Megamind's clutches! Both of them wanted Megamind to suffer for what he had been doing to Roxanne and Sinclaire seemed to have the connections to make that suffering last a long time.

Hal shrugged as he figured that Roxanne would understand that everything that they had done over the past 24 or so hours had been for her benefit. She _would_ understand.

/

The very moment that Hal had left the room Roxanne began fidgeting in her chair, trying to twist her wrist around so that she could reach the knots binding her to the chair. While she had managed to undo many of the bindings around her wrists, she could not reach the ones securing her upper arms to the chair. Hal really had gone all out when he had secured her and he wondered briefly where the hell he had learned to do something like this, but she quickly decided that she really didn't want to know at all.

With a growl of frustration Roxanne began to twist her arm any way she could in order to pull it free of the tight ropes binging it to the back of the chair. Though her wrists had been tied together, Hal had also secured her arms at various points to the chair itself, looping the harsh fibrous rope around her forearms again and again. She grinned and had to suppress the urge to laugh with triumph as her wrist pulled free of one of the loops. The slack that was created as just enough for her to wiggle the rest of her arm free, biting her bottom lip against the pain in her shoulder as she came close to dislocating it in the process.

She smirked to herself as she flexed her fingers when she brought her freed arm in front of her, trying to force the blood circulation back into her tingling extremity before attacking the knots holding her other arm in place. Her nails were chipped to hell and her fingers were beginning to bleed as she pulled at the rope, all the while watching the door out of the corner of her eye and listening as closely as she could for any signs of Hal or the strange Mr Sinclaire returning.

As the final coil or rope fell away from her arm she pulled it to her front, cradling the numb appendage and checking over the plaster cast that still remained in place. She grimaced with increasing pain, tears forming in her eyes as the circulation got going and amplified the pain caused to her barely healed wrist. The jolt of being knocked to the floor had sent excruciating waves of agony through her pinned wrist and she was sure some of the fragile bone fragments had shifted positions again.

A strange echo of a song being hummed out of tune alerted Roxanne to Hal's imminent reappearance so she hurriedly gathered up the loose rope and hid it behind her back, lacing her fingers together to give the impression that she was still tied up. Whatever Hal had been doing out there seemed to have upped his spirits judging by the grin splinting his face from ear to ear. He looked over at her and winked before sitting back in his chair, humming happily to himself.

Roxanne sighed with frustration and rolled her eyes. She may have been able to get her arms free but her body and legs were still firmly tied to the chair so escape was still out of reach. She consoled herself with the idea that at least now she could scratch his eyes out if he came close enough again.

"So, what happens now?" She found herself asking. She gave herself a mental pat on the back at the amount of strength that had re-entered her voice when she spoke to the man sitting across from her. He blinked as his grin faltered. "Now that the plan is falling apart. Now that you have me here. Now that people are going to _notice _me missing. What now,_ Hal_?

"Do you _honestly_ think that things are just going to go back to normal? That we are going to stroll into work in the morning and everything will be just the way it was before? Face it Hal! You are in over your head! Untie me now and I _promise_, It will only be Sinclaire going down for this!"

A warm breeze from somewhere caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end. The sound of the rain drumming against the windows of the room was deafening but she could still make out the sound of water dripping within the room. She could smell it, a puddle forming in the otherwise bone dry room somewhere behind her. She wondered briefly how water could have found it's way through all of the layers of concrete and masonry before focusing back on the man in front of her.

He was looking at her with a bemused expression on his face.

"What do you mean?" He asked, his voice taking on a tone of seriousness that she had never heard before.

"I mean, Hal, what happens after all of_ this_? Have you even thought this thing through?" She said as softly as she could, not wanting to break whatever spell she had put over him, "How can any of us just _walk away_ from this?"

"Look Roxanne," Hal said as he rubbed his forehead, "I know you really don't understand this but I promise you. Everything will be OK!"

Roxanne sighed when Hal turned his back on her, tipping the chair back on two legs as he hummed away to himself. Roxanne dropped her chin to her chest as she focused again on working the knots free from the back of the chair. She knew that the ones around her legs were going to be the hardest to undo without Hal noticing, but she forced herself to forget about that at the moment and concentrate on what she could do there and then.

"Hey Roxanne?" Hal said suddenly, his voice full of curiosity. Roxanne's head snapped up to him as her hands gripped the ropes tightly, praying he hadn't noticed her attempts to get free.

"Have you ever wondered what things would have been like?" He continued when he realised she was not going to give a response, "If _Metro-Looser _and the Blue Freak never showed up? I mean, life would have been pretty sweet, right? We would have been working together at the station and you would be all relaxed and happy and stuff because you wouldn't be getting kidnapped all the time and they we would have hooked up, like, ages ago!"

"Hal-"

"OK, yeah, I know that Metro Man has been the city's Hero for like, _ever_ or something, but that guy is seriously bad at his job! I don't know why you ever bothered with a guy like that. Seriously, why did you end up with him instead of me?"

Roxanne gawked at him incredulously. Aside from the age-old tingle of frustration that she felt whenever anyone passed judgement on the '_relationship_' she had with Metro Man, she was absolutely gob-smacked at what Hal had just asked her. The hairs on her arm stood on end as she felt the air around her shift slightly and felt the chill of a droplet of water against her exposed skin.

"Hal..." she said as she failed to suppress the chuckle that rose up inside her. The very thought of Hal not being able to understand why a woman would choose Metro Man over him was absurd.

"_Hal_," She began again when her voice was steadier, "are you _seriously_ asking me to compare you to _Metro Man_? Well for a start, Metro Man would never have put me through _this_! Sure he isn't the sharpest tool in the box but then we can't all be '_Super Geniuses_' can we?" She very nearly lifted her arms to mark her sarcasm with air quotes above her head.

Hal barked a laugh at her comment and the harsh sound echoed around the room, but another sound laced underneath Hal's got Roxanne's attention. She wasn't sure if she had imagined it but the hairs rose on the back of her neck as she was sure she had heard someone else in the room. She scanned the area with her peripheral vision but couldn't see anyone else in the empty space.

"Super genius?" Hal laughed as if it was the funniest thing he had ever heard, "What, you mean like the blue _freak_? Come _on_ Roxanne! Open your eyes, the guy is a looser! He can't get a girl who looks all fucked up as he does so he decides to steal you from me! I mean, c'mon! Have you even _seen_ him? It's like he's not even Human!"

Roxanne raised an annoyed eyebrow at him as she sat and listened to his tirade. The soft sound of movement just behind her caught her scenes and she looked behind her again out of the corner of her eye. She frowned slightly as she noticed a small puddle on the floor which had not been there before, the distinctive smell triggering a whole raft of memories. Her eyes tried to focus on the slightly distorted image of the opposite side of the warehouse and she thought she could see some tiny droplets of water reflecting the meagre electronic light. The water droplets seemed to be suspended in mid air. A quick glance to the ceiling confirmed that wherever the water was coming from, it was not from the floor above as the ceiling was as dry as a bone.

"Face it Roxanne" Hal's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, "The guy is a _looser_, he has never won _anything_ in his entire life! If he _had_ gone all googly-eyed over you and he wasn't using some freak mind control drug on you or something, do you really think he would be able to help you? Come on Roxanne! The idiot couldn't find you if his life depended on it!"

The sound of smashing glass and crumbling brickwork punctuated the end of Hal's rant dramatically as the storm outside the building was suddenly allowed entrance.

"What the-" Hal screamed as a collection of glowing blue lights zoomed into the room through the cloud of dust formed when the wall surrounding the window exploded inwards. The room was filled with noises as the electronic creatures snapped and 'barked' at the man cowering against the table.  
>Roxanne grinned as the remaining ropes were cut from her torso and legs by one of the brainbots who headed directly to her. The strangely sweet creature nuzzled into her side under her elbow and gestured with it's eye stalk for her to stand and lean against it. She did so on shaky legs as she breathed deeply of the fresh air let in through the broken window.<p>

"What's going on?" Hal asked in a strangled voice as he ended up with his back almost flat against the table top as he tried to get as far away from the creatures as possible, "Ahh! They're trying to _kill_ me!"

"They're not going to kill you, Hal." Roxanne said calmly as she leaned heavily against the brainbot. It's dome was surprisingly solid under her arm and she smiled as it kept on looking back up at her as if to check she was OK.

"They are here to _rescue_ me, Hal. They just want you to stay away from me, they won't hurt you unless you threaten me in some way." Roxanne smiled as she watched one of the brainbots' jaws clamp own on the material of Hal's jeans. t had come very close indeed to finding flesh and Roxanne could not quite decided if she was relieved or disappointed, "More or less, anyway."

"But wha- how... " Hal stammered as he watched the bots circling around him menacingly. He had never been this close to one of Megamind's fearsome creations before and he really didn't like the look of them.

Roxanne's legs were trembling from being inactive and immobile for so long but she managed to force herself to stand straight and tall. She grinned and forced herself not to turn backwards to look at the almost imperceptible distortion she knew would be just behind her. She knew his game , possibly better than anyone else on the planet. His game was all about one thing.

Presentation!

/

From the moment he had spotted the squat man standing at the side of the bleak loading bay, green eyes narrowed in hatred. This was the man who had taken what was his. _No one_ took anything away from him, not for long anyway. Megamind used the Dehydration Gun to compress the shivering spider-bot into a small glowing blue cube, timing the blast to coincide with a bolt of lightning so as to avoid detection. Megamind rolled his eyes briefly as he wondered, not for the first time, how one of his most fearsome and successful creations could be so miserable with just a little bit of rain.

He turned back to the security gate, peering through the thick metal bars at the man who seemed to be muttering to himself. He was clearly having some sort of battle of wills within his own head as he paced back and forth. The grin that spread on Megamind's face was nothing short of feral as he realised that this chump didn't have the slightest clue about what he had gotten himself into.

As Hal turned away to head back inside the building, Megamind vaulted easily over the wall, landing with cat-like grace in a crouch on the rain-soaked concrete floor. He quickly adjusted his cape before running across the loading bay and slipping inside behind the errant camera man as the door swung shut.

Megamind fell in behind Hal as the short man shuffled his was through the internal loading bay, past the news van and deeper into the building. It was all he could do to not reach forwards and snap the oblivious man's neck right there and then, but he needed to know _why_!

When Minion had informed him of the disappearance of the news van he had also run a background check on the one named Hal Stewart. While he had no criminal record, he also didn't seem to have much of a past at all. He had barely graduated high school and only became a camera technician because he was fairly good with electronics. From the looks of thing he would spend his life playing video games if he could but being a job as a camera man apparently fell into his lap. Minion had summarised that this man was not smart enough to come up with a plan like this, there had to be someone else involved.

So he followed, his footsteps quieter than those of the mice that no doubt inhabited the abandoned expanse of concrete walls and vacant rooms. His teeth grinding together as he resisted his gut instinct to simply shoot the idiot in front of him there and then.

His emotions had been bouncing from one extreme to the other all day and while the all consuming anger that filled his every thought scared the hell out of him, he much preferred that to the crippling guilt that flooded his system every time he thought of how he didn't force her to stay with him. Wrestling those thoughts down while at the same time trying to keep his head clear was proving to be very exhausting.

All thoughts were stripped from his head, however, as he followed Hal into the empty basement of the building. She was tied to a chair in the most unsophisticated way imaginable with ropes circling almost her entire body. Even from across the room he could see the abrasions the harsh material was causing on her skin. Her face was a mess with dried blood and dirt surrounding various cuts on her cheek combined with what looked to be the beginnings of a rather impressive black eye. The cuts continued down onto her shoulder but only existed around the places where the ropes covered her skin. She had received those injuries after she had been tied up. Megamind was about to find out exactly how easy it was to beat a man to death when the sound of Roxanne's voice brought him back to reality.

She was doing what she did best, trying to goad Hal into giving her the information that she wanted. Using those very same Nosey Reporter skills that she had so often used against Megamind himself. He found himself grinning, the strength in her voice showing that she was still able to enact some form of control over the situation.

She hadn't given up.

Megamind moved swiftly and silently to her side, examining her wounds closely as he listened to their conversation. He didn't have any idea who this 'Sinclaire' person was but he must have been the brains of the operation. He filed the name away in the back of his head as he moved behind Roxanne. A wicked smirk spread across his face as he took stock of the ropes that now hung loosely at the back of the chair. She had managed to get her arms free, despite the old injury to her arm which must have been giving her some grief. She was still firmly secured to the chair but a few quick cuts in some strategic places would see her freed in next to no time.

His quiet chuckle seemed to get Roxanne's attention as her head span round and her eyes scanned the room. He watched her frown in confusion before turning back to her conversation with Hal. The urge to reach out and touch her was burning through his fingers but now was not the time. He looked back up to the idiot who thought he had the right to take Roxanne away from him and tuned back into their conversation.

"...Well, we can't all be 'Super Geniuses' can we?" Roxanne was saying, apparently talking about Metro Man. Hal seemed to be honestly confused over why Roxanne would ever show interest in the Super Hero instead of the cameraman himself. Megamind could not hold back the chuckle that bubbled up through his throat as Hal barked out a rather vicious laugh. Roxanne's head snapped to the side once more, apparently having picked up the sound of his soft laugh coming from somewhere behind her.

"Super genius?" Megamind rose a solitary eyebrow as he sobered up and watched the podgy man laugh himself silly, "What, you mean like the blue _freak_? Come _on_ Roxanne! Open your eyes, the guy is a _looser_! He can't get a girl who looks as fucked up as he does so he decides to steal you from me! I mean, c'mon! Have you even _seen_ him? It's like he's not even Human!"

Megamind shook his head at Hal's comments. He wondered briefly if that really was the best this guy could do. Nothing he had just heard was in any way original and most of it had been used against him during his short period in that hellish schoolhouse. Hal was nothing more than a bully.

He shifted his weight from one foot to the other with a quiet 'humph', causing the cape surrounding his lithe frame to shift softly. Roxanne's senses seemed to be on high alert as she turned to look behind her once again. Her eyes scanned the ground behind her before shooting up to the ceiling. At one point he was sure she had looked right at him as a small smile tugged at her lips. In that instant her eyes brightened and her spine straightened as much as it could as she faced Hal with even more confidence than she had before.

'_Very clever my dear_,' Megamind thought to himself as he resisted the burning urge to reach forward and tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear, '_I never could get anything past you could I_?'

Hal continued to rant about how the villain had never amounted to anything, causing Megamind's anger to bristle again. With a sigh he grew too frustrated to let this little game continue and whispered a command into his watch.

Hal's shriek of surprise a second later brought a grin back to his face as a pack of brainbots burst in through a window exactly on cue. He summoned one of his creatures over to Roxanne and watched as it cut the ropes around her with careful precision. He was slightly surprised as he watched the little bot nuzzle up to Roxanne and help her to stand up. He had not commanded it to do that and he frowned as he wondered exactly when his creations had started to act differently around her. Roxanne was obviously not scared of them in the slightest as she leant on the little bot and rose on shaky legs.

Hal was leaning back on the table in terror as the rest of the pack circled him, snapping at him from time to time. Roxanne very quickly took control of the situation and told Hal that the fearsome machines would not hurt him unless he threatened her. The brainbot's snapping at his legs managed to get a jaw full of clothing at that very moment causing Roxanne's smirk to spread.

Megamind's grin spread like it never had before. He realised, with a surge of emotions, that this wonderful, delectable woman in front of him, a woman who looked as if she had been to hell and back over the past 24 hours yet still come out smirking, was setting the stage! She _knew_ he was there and knew he had something planned, but she also knew by the fact that he hadn't come out guns blazing, that he trusted her to handle herself. She may have needed a little bit of rescuing, but Roxanne Ritchie could never be described as a Damsel in Distress!

Hal couldn't believe his eyes as he lay back against the table. Everything had been going fine and then suddenly these stupid creatures blasted their way in, ruining everything. One of them had even gone and cut Roxanne free! Mr Sinclaire was not going to be happy at all!

"Get the hell away from me you stupid rust bucket!" Hal yelled as he kicked out against one of the floating creatures. The thing responded by biting onto his shoe, pulling it off his foot and then proceeding to tear it to shreds with it's mechanical jaws.

"I swear to god if you don't get away from me now I'm gonna-"

"What, Hal?" Roxanne said suddenly, her voice cutting above the din that the brainbots were creating, "What exactly are you going to do to them? What do you possibly think you can do now, Hal?"

"_Roxanne_!" Hal appealed as he took a step towards her, the brainbots all moved as one to get between the woman and this man who had hurt her. They growled mechanically and snapped at his outstretched hands, causing him to jump back with a scream, "Roxanne, don't you see? These are Megamind's little... attack bots or something! He's trying to control you again, you can't let him, Roxanne! Tell them that I'm trying to _hep_ you!"

A disembodied chuckle echoed around the room, growing in intensity until it was a full blown evil laugh. The eerie sound caused what little colour that remain in Hal's face to drain away to nothing. The sound was full of pure amusement with a very dangerous undertone of anger. The noise seemed to stretch on forever until a shimmering light just behind Roxanne caught Hal's attention. It looked like the haze of heat rising off a car during summer, but the distortion quickly solidified as Megamind appeared out of thin air.

"_You_!" Hal gasped as he stepped back again, falling heavily into the chair behind him.

Megamind grinned evilly as he swept the invisibility cape from his shoulders and allowed it to drop into the grasp of a waiting brainbot that had sped to it's creator's side as soon as the cape was disengaged. He could see Roxanne turn to face him, her eyes shining with relief at finally being able to see him, but his green eyes were firmly fixed on the now trembling Hal.

"So, you are the one called 'Hal Stewart'?" Megamind said, hissing the man's last name in a way that seemed to make him grow even paler.

"How do you know my name?" Hal stammered as he watched the alien approach him. Roxanne stayed rooted to the spot, still not quite trusting her still wobbly legs.

"Oh, I know _everything_ there is to know about you, _friend_." Megamind said in a voice that was all at the same time soft and very, very menacing, "The question is, what do you know of me?"

"I know you've hurt Roxie," Ha spat as he finally regained a little bit of confidence brought on by a sudden swell of anger, "Tell her the truth! You've used some sort of mind control on her haven't you? Or a love potion of some kind! There is no way a babe like Roxie would ever go for a freak like you!"

"Freak like me?" Megamind repeated slowly, "Oh _Hal_. Hal, Hal, Hal. Don't you think you are a little bit too _old_ for school-yard insults? Hmm? And as for using '_mind control_' on Roxanne, I can assure you that was never necessary, was it my dear?"

"Not in the slightest." Roxanne smiled back at him as she eased her grip on the brainbot under her arm, her legs getting stronger with each passing second.

"Besides," Megamind said as he leaned in consiprationally, "it's not like it would have worked, she's far too stubborn."

"Hey! I heard that." Roxanne protested with a good natured smile. She understood what he was trying to say, but the amount of humour in Megamind's voice confused her. She sighed with relief as he looked up at her and turned his back on the cringing Hal. The brainbots once again formed a barrier between their master and the man who had attacked the woman Megamind had commanded them to protect.

He walked up to her and looked her in the eyes, one hand rising to the bruise forming on her face. His fingertips barely grazed her skin but the contact sent bolts of sensation screaming through her body. She closed her eyes briefly and leant into his touch as he cupped her cheek with his palm. She felt light-headed and dizzy and she was sure that pretty much every part of her body hurt, but she felt infinity better now that he was here.

"Are you OK?" He asked after a few moments. She could see in his eyes that he was asking so much more than the simple question let on. He was not just asking if she was OK, he was asking her to tell him exactly what these people had done to her. She gasped as she saw the fear in his eyes. The fear of loosing her, of seeing her hurt. Her eyes widened as she realised _exactly_ what it was that he was asking her.

"I'm fine," She said as she brought her arm up to rest on his shoulder, supporting herself against him. "I got roughed up a little bit and I'm pretty sure my face looks worse than it feels... but they didn't..."

Megamind nodded his understanding, his eyes darkening as all humour and joy at finding her alive and well lost the battle for control over the rage that was coursing through his veins. Roxanne was astounded at how quickly his moods could change, he was like a storm that didn't really know which way it wanted to blow.

Furious green eyes focused once again on the cameraman who was once again cowering from the pack of brainbots. His hand went to the gun holstered against his thigh and pulled it smoothly away from it's housing. With practised grace he levelled the barrel of the gun at Hal as he came to a standstill exactly half way between the woman and her kidnapper. Hal's eyes focused on the muzzle of the gun as beads of sweat began to roll down the side of his face. Up until this point he had never considered the consequences of his actions if Megamind had managed to find them. Now he was about to find out first hand.

"Hey man, listen, it's not what you think!" Hal said as he held his hands up in front of himself. He had seen this scene a thousand times on TV and it never ended well, not when the bad guy was holding a gun to the head of a terrified victim. In the movies either the hero burst in and saved the day at the last minute or the victim dies. As Hal had said himself, Metro Man had high tailed it out of the city weeks ago. There would be no hero bursting in to save his skin this time.

"Not what I _think_?" Megamind said through gritted teeth, "So, you _didn't_ kidnap this woman on the orders of another person? You _didn't_ call her in the middle of the night and lure her out of the safety of her own home into a waiting trap? You _didn't_ tie her to a chair and keep her captive and afraid for her own life with no indication of what you were going to do to her?"

"OK," Hal said as he swallowed loudly, trying to slow down his panicked breathing. Megamind's voice had risen to a harsh yell by his last sentence causing Hal to shrink back even further into the chair. "Look man, I never wanted to hurt her, OK? It was all Mr Sinclaire, he's the one behind all of this! He... he _forced_ me to do it, he said he would hurt-"

The click of the firing pin on the dehydration gun pulling back into place as Megamind eased the trigger half way cut off Hal's defence in mid flow. From her perspective behind Megamind, Roxanne could not see the gun or what setting it was positioned to. She knew that Megamind routinely left the gun set to 'Dehydrate' but she also knew there were a few more deadly options on the gun as well. Right now she didn't trust her judgement of his mood well enough to guess which setting he was planning on using.

"You," Megamind hissed as his eyes narrowed dangerously, "_you_ wanted to take Roxanne away from me. You wanted to _force_ her to turn her back on me and to say that _I_ was in fact the one who did the forcing. I may be a villain but I have _never_ and _would never_ consider taking advantage of anyone like that, let alone her!

"She has come to me _willingly_! The only person who has forced her to do anything against her will is _you_! You stole her belongings, broke into her apartment, kidnapped her and treated her in such an unprofessional way! Tell me, what the hell do you have to say for yourself?"

"Look man, it wasn't me, it wa-"

Megamind growled in annoyance as he pulled the trigger, a bolt of energy leaping from the muzzle of the gun. Blue energy cracked around the room, filling the empty space with light for a brief moment. Just as soon as it began, the crackling energy disappeared leaving in it's wake a single glowing blue cube. The atmosphere in the room shattered as the cube fell to the ground with an almost musical ring and was instantly collected by a brainbot who delivered it's prize to it's master.

"Take it back to the Evil Lair." Megamind said to the brainbot, "Take the rest of your pack with you, make sure no one takes that cube from you until I get there. And keep it _dry_!"

Roxanne watched as the whole pack flew quickly out of the hole in the wall, the glowing cube tucked safely underneath the body of the brainbot, next to it's engine casings. The bot that helped her to stand seemed to regard Roxanne curiously before it followed after them, pulling the bot still holding Megamind's invisibility cape along with it.

Megamind turned back to Roxanne, a look of unguarded concern on his face. It was enough to tear away the last shred of her self control as she practically threw herself into his arms, crying loudly against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her securely, one hand spreading against the small of her back while the other lifted to tangle into her hair, holding her as close as he could.

"I was so scared!" Roxanne sobbed into his suite as she clung onto him tightly. His grip on her tightened and she could feel him nuzzling his face into her hair. "I don't think I've _ever_ been that scared in my entire life!"

"Not even when I had you tied to one of my fiendish inventions?" He asked with a chuckle. There was a discernible break to his voice as he tried to hold back what he grudgingly admitted were his own tears.

"I've never been scared of you, nothing even close to _this_!" She said as she took a deep breath trying to steady herself.

"Good." Megamind said simply as he stood there and held her to him. His hand on her back began to stroke up and down in what he hoped to be a reassuring gesture. He promised himself that he was never going to let her go again.

"We should get out of here." Roxanne said suddenly, "This Sinclaire guy left a couple of hours ago, I don't know if he is even coming back but I'd rather not stick around to find out."

"Did he say anything?" Megamind asked as he pulled back from her slightly, "Anything about why he was doing this? Why he took you?"

"He didn't say much to me, but at one point I heard him on his phone. He thought I was unconscious so I kept my head down and listened."

"That's my girl." Megamind said as he reached up and brushed her bangs away from her face gently.

"He was _really_ agitated, something about someone else not holding up their end of the bargain. He was shouting at someone named... Ikki...Ikku...Ikura! That was it, Ikura!" Roxanne smiled as she managed to remember the name but that smile instantly fell away when she saw the look on Megamind's face. He had suddenly gone very still and very pale as his lips parted slightly in shock. His eyes were wide and startled and his breathing had suddenly become shallow.

"What did you say?" He asked in a deathly quiet voice, looking her square in the eye as if trying to assess how reliable this information was.

"The name of the person who was supposed to handle the phase of...whatever they were going to do... it was Ikura, I'm sure of it." Roxanne said carefully, "What is it? What's wrong?"

Megamind's response was cut off by the sound of the metal door behind him opening suddenly. Roxanne watched Megamind's head spin round to face the newcomer to the room. She peered over Megamind's shoulder to see Mr Sinclaire standing with a gun pointed directly at them.

"You shouldn't have said that." He said calmly before he pulled the trigger.

The noise echoed brutally around the concrete room and Roxanne felt the shock of impact race through her entire body. She blinked as Megamind's weight hit her full force, spinning her around as he fell, hitting the floor with his back and pulling her down on top of him. His eyes were wide open in shock as one hand shakily moved towards a badly bleeding wound in his abdomen.

Everything seemed to slow down as Roxanne's brain struggled to register the fact that Megamind had been shot and was now bleeding to death beneath her. Her head span round to look at the man standing in the doorway, a brief wisp of smoke curling up into the air from the gun which was still trained on both of them. Roxanne felt like she was moving at a snail's pace as her head lowered to the ground by her side, to where the dehydration gun had fallen. She scrambled to pick it up, not even registering why the barrel of the gun was glowing red instead of it's traditional blue and pointed it directly at the man who had caused all of these problems.

Sinclaire's mouth was moving but Roxanne couldn't hear a word above the pounding of her own heart, one corner of his lips curling up into a horrific smirk as he readjusted the gun's aim directly at her. Roxanne's hands suddenly began to shake as she stared directly down the barrel of the gun aimed at her head. Her arms began to fall as she watched Sinclaire begin to pull the trigger of his gun in slow motion. She became aware of a bar of pressure around her abdomen as a black leather-clad hand covered her own on the gun, one long finger covering hers on the trigger as the gun lifted and the trigger clicked back, firing a brilliant bolt of light out towards the deadly threat. Roxanne screwed her eyes shut and screamed, fully expecting the blackness of death to take her as a result of the bullet which had surely left Sinclaire's revolver.

When nothing happened she opened her eyes and stared in shock at the small blue cube that lay against the concrete floor. The barrel of Megamind's gun was once again glowing blue and a long forgotten memory clicked into place. She had once seen Megamind flicking through the different settings on the gun, testing out a new interchange mechanism. The colours glowing inside the muzzle changed in relation to the settings. It had been set to Destroy when she had picked it up, she was sure of it.

The hand covering her own on the gun suddenly fell away, as did the arm which had snaked around her body to hold her steady. Megamind slumped back against the floor lifelessly, his usual blue complexion now more of a grey as he lay on the edge of life.

"Oh my god." Roxanne muttered as her brain finally caught up with the situation, "Oh my _god_! _Megamind_! Megamind, come on, talk to me! What do I do, I don't know … what do I _do_?"

Megamind's eyes opened slowly, his breathing shallow and ragged as he took her hands in his. He pressed them to the wound on his abdomen as firmly as he could.

"Pressure," He managed to croak out, "Keep the pressure on, stop the bleed-"

"No! No no no nonononoo! You stay with me now, stay with me!" She shouted as she leant on the wound. She could feel blood seeping though her fingers and the spreading pool of blood flowing out from underneath him showed clearly that there was another wound in his back. Memories of all of the cop shows she used to watch came flooding back. A 'Through and Through' bullet would, both an entry _and_ an exit wound. Good because there was no bullet left inside to cause complications, bad because it left more damage. Nothing that came to mind gave her any hope of helping him as his hands slipped away from hers to land lifelessly at his sides.

"Rox-" He croaked, almost too quietly for her to hear, she leant forwards to put her ear close to his mouth and his to hers.

"I'm here, I'm here." Her voice was so shaky she could hardly recognise it as she held her breath, waiting for his response.

"I-" His voice was so quiet and she could hardly feel his breath against the side of her face, "...love...you"

Tears were streaming down her face as she realised he was literally just about to die in front of here eyes. His head lolled to the side as he fell unconscious, his life force draining out of him through her fingers. She couldn't think of anything that she could do to help, so she did the one thing that all of his posturing and mad inventions had never managed to make her do.

Roxanne Ritchie screamed for help.

* * *

><p><em>AN:_

_... wow._

_You have no idea how good it feels to get back on track with my writing. This chapter flowed so easily, it almost wrote itself. And yes. This was always the plan and no I'm not going to give any clues as to how this is going. Happy ending or Romeo and Juliet? _

_In all seriousness, I very nearly held ff on publishing this. With the horrible event that has happened in Colorado, I thought that posting this chapter with a shooting scene would maybe be a bit iffy. But then life goes on and it isn't the gun that does the bad thing, it's the person standing behind it. _

_My thoughts go out to everyone who has been affected by the shootings._


	19. A Complicated Conclusion

I'M ALIVE! Hi everyone, sorry about the mega long absence. That pesky 'real life' think always seems to get in the way. Anyway, welcome to the final chapter of Complicated Simplicity!

A few loose ends are being tied up here and after this I will be going back to "Whatever you are..." To do a massive re-write and finish that story as it ties in with this one a great deal more than I had ever imagined.

As with some other chapters I have used a bit of poetic licence with this but any comments, complaints or criticisms are always welcome!

Enjoy ^_^

There are some time jumps in this, I love time jumps. oOoOoO indicates a time jump either backwards or forwards (hopefully it all seems fairly obvious) sSsS and is a scene change. I've had no end of trouble with the formatting of changes like this so I hope these stick.

* * *

><p>Roxanne opened her eyes slowly, the light from the window to the side of the bed having woken her. The vertical blinds swayed softly in the breeze from the open window and she could hear one particularly cheerful song bird calling out a heartfelt message into the wind. She sighed as she nuzzled her face into the pillows and rolled over onto her side, chasing the last remnants of a refreshingly deep sleep. A dull ache spread up her arm as something tugged uncomfortably across her side as she stretched one arm out in front of her over the covers. She yawned into the pillow as she found a comfortable position and began to drift off again into a peaceful slumber.<p>

A tired frown creased her forehead as she spread her hand over the bed sheets. There was something wrong with the coarse blanket she could feel under her palm as she stretched her hand back and forth. The tugging sensation increased as did the ache in her arm as she extended it fully causing her to pull it back in towards her body with a wince. Realisation suddenly hit her as her eyes flew open, alert and awake as she took in her unfamiliar surroundings.

She barely moved as she looked from the old yet freshly laundered blanket to the metal bars surrounding the bed. The walls of the room were painted stark white and the floor was mottled brownish linoleum that curved up the wall to about 1 foot from the floor. She twisted her neck around to glance behind her timidly as she took in the tall windows with their white plastic frame and bars spanning its length on the outside. A noise coming from over her shoulder caught her attention as she craned her neck up to try and see without actually moving her body. Pain in her face and head sprang to life as she pulled at the wrong muscle causing her to retreat back into an almost foetal position until the pain had worn off.

Having satisfied herself that there was no present danger within the room, Roxanne rolled onto her back and looked up at the machine placed at the head of the bed. The monitor showed a steady set of green numbers above a green line rising and falling in what appeared to be a rather sporadic rhythm. A bag of fluid hung from a hook on the side of the machine and trailed a clear plastic tube from its base. Her eyes followed the path of the tube to its final destination at a port secured into one of the veins in her arm.

The heart monitor at her shoulder sparked to life with a series of loud beeps as he heard rate kicked up a notch with her rising sense of panic.  
>As she began to pick at the adhesive patch securing the IV line to her arm with the fingers of her still plastered wrist, the doors to the room flew open and a flurry of activity surrounded the panicking woman. A nurse pulled Roxanne's hand away from the IV line as another went to the heart monitor to shut off the alarms.<p>

"It's OK Miss Ritchie, you're in the hospital." The first nurse said with a smile on her face as if this simple statement was all Roxanne needed.

"Hospital?" Roxanne's mind whirled as she tried to make sense of the situation. She was slowly becoming aware of an increasing dull ache through most of her body and she could see various bruises and contusions on the exposed skin of her arm. Her head was beginning to pound with one of the worst headaches she could remember having and her face hurt every time she winced in pain which wasn't a very helpful sensation to experience.

"Why am I here?" She said in a horse voice as she was gently pushed back down onto the bed. She felt like she was going crazy, every sense she had was telling her something was very _very_ wrong but she couldn't place what exactly was causing that feeling.

"Roxanne?" A male voice called out from the door to the room, cutting above the sound of Roxanne's own heart pounding in her ears. She looked up to see the last person she would ever have expected to see right at that moment, standing in the doorway looking for all the world like a confused and lost little boy.

"_Wayne_?" As soon as his name passed her lips a tidal surge of memory flooded her brain. She lay there staring at him with a look of absolute horror on her face as the events which had led to her current situation played in front of her eyes. Hal with the can of spray, the stranger who seemed so intent on doing her harm, the strange interactions between the two men before Megamind making his appearance as the hero she had hoped beyond hope itself to see. Then the relief she had felt as she was cut free and the security of being wrapped tightly in his arms before-

"Woah!" One of the nurses said in surprise as Roxanne's stats suddenly went haywire. Her body began to tremble as the colour drained from her face as she stared at Wayne while tears suddenly pooled in her eyes. "Is she going into shock again?"

"Roxanne, it's OK! You are _safe_!" One of the nurses said as Roxanne's eyes rolled back into her head and a chocked sob escaped from her throat, "Miss Ritchie please, try to calm down."

Her hand was suddenly held in a warm and iron strong grip as Wayne moved quickly from the doorway to the side of the bed opposite where the nurses were working. He gave her hand an affectionate squeeze in an attempt to get her to look at him.

"Roxie," even his voice, normally so strong and over-confident, quivered with emotion, "Hey Roxie, come on! Look at me! You need to calm down! Panicking like this is not going to help!"

The nurses shot him a stern look as Roxanne's eyes flew open and flitted nervously from Wayne to the nurses and back again.

"_Panic_?" She nearly shrieked as she looked at him incredulously, "How exactly do you think I should be reacting?"

"Disorientation is quite normal in these situations" One of the nurses was saying calmly in an attempt to bring some kind of order to the situation, "You were rather badly injured and a few of your wounds were bleeding quite badly. You had suffered extensive minor injuries and bruising, especially around your face and upper body. You also have a minor head injury and had lost consciousness at some point before you were brought in. You were suffering from shock but you have responded very well to treatment and all scans came back clear so there should be no lasting damage."

"How-" She said as another sob caught the words in her throat. The blind panic was subsiding as her rational mind was beginning to take control. "How long?"

"You have been unconscious for almost 24 hours." Wayne said before the nurses could answer.

"24... Wayne, what _happened_?" Roxanne said in a high pitched voice as she tried to choke back a sob, "Where is he?"

"Roxie," Wayne said as he lowered his head against the metal barriers on the bed, "I'm so sorry Roxie, I should have been there! I should never have left the city! It's all my fault!"

"Wayne." Roxanne said as she grew very still, "Where is he? What happened? I-"

"I don't know." He said with a sigh, "I took him straight to the prison and-"

"The _prison_?!" Roxanne shrieked as she sat bolt upright, startling the nurses enough to cause them to jump back in alarm, "He had been _shot_! Why did- why didn't-"

"Roxie, calm down!" Wayne said loudly as she pulled her hand roughly away from his.

"Don't you _dare_ tell me to calm down, how could you be so heartless? He needed help and you took him - I need to get out of here! _Now_! I need to go!"  
>"I'm afraid you can't do that Miss-" One of the nurses said as she tried to coax Roxanne back down onto the bed.<p>

"Don't you fucking tell me what I can and can't do!" She snarled, all of the pain in her body forgotten with the burning need to get out of this place and find him, "Get me the fucking forms so I can sign myself out of here! NOW!"

The nurses scurried away quickly, running for the doctor either with the hope of convincing the snarling woman that she needed to stay in bed or to get the forms so they could be rid of her. Roxanne really didn't care which as she swung her legs over the side of the bed trying not to let the dizziness that suddenly overcame her to show on her face. She took a deep breath to steady herself as the knuckles of her one functioning hand went white against the edge of the mattress. Her eyes snapped up to Wayne's, pinning him with a glare that she had never even thought of turning on him before.

It was all Wayne could do to prevent his feet from back peddling him into the wall a few feet behind him. The sheer ferocity of the look Roxanne was giving him was astounding. He felt like the proverbial deer caught in headlights and he had the sinking suspicion that the lights coming screaming towards him were not planning on stopping before _or_ after they hit him. He almost wished she would start shouting again. Yelling he could cope with, but this cold stare? Wayne had to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat before he could even think of saying anything.

"Roxie, I-"

"Wayne," Roxanne's voice was so quiet Wayne wasn't even sure if she had actually said anything, "tell me. What happened?"

"I think you may know more about that than I do Roxie," Wayne said, feeling just as pathetic as he sounded.

oOoOoO

"WAYNE!" Roxanne shrieked as loudly as she could, begging the empty patch of sky she could see through the hole in the building to reveal the city's hero once again. Megamind's body was heavy in her arms as he lay lifeless and bleeding, his breathing barely even detectable.

"Please don't die!" She cried, her tears falling onto his face as she pulled herself against him, "Don't die, please, I won't let you! No no no... _please_..." Her voice breaking down into a chocking whisper as she held her forehead against his and sobbed.

Roxanne had always prided herself on being able to take care of herself. She had never needed anyone to save her, not even after Megamind had showed up, not really anyway. She had taken self defence classes and knew how to talk herself out of most dangerous situations. But nothing she had ever done could even come close to preparing her for this.

She had heard of people who had been involved in major accidents and had helped to save the lives of their loved ones she had even reported on that type of story from time to time and those people had always told her that they had simply known what to do. That they had simply acted and had themselves been amazed at their own actions when they had time to sit and think about it.

Roxanne just felt helpless.

"_Megamind_," She whimpered as she could feel his face growing cold and grey, "Megamind please, _please_ don't die! I _need_ you! I -"

Roxanne's words were cut off by a shriek of surprise as the world seemed to explode around her once again. With reaction speeds she didn't even know she had she reached across Megamind's body and grasped the de-gun, levelling it with a trembling hand up to the newest threat to come their way. The room filled with thick greyish brown dust that burned in the back of her throat and stung her eyes and obscured everything except the dark outline of quite possibly the most recognisable man in the entire city.

"Wayne! Megamind has been _shot_!" Roxanne chocked out as the de-gun fell to the floor once again. Time seemed to slow down around her as she looked from hero to villain. She had never felt so hopeless in her life. She saw Wayne move out of the corner of her eye, leaping forwards towards the pair in what must have been a much faster movement than she realised.

Wayne, his loose collar shirt and jeans quickly becoming stained with Megamind's blood, scooped the limp body up into his arms. He paused for a brief moment, looking into the pale face of his nemesis, amazed that this man with all of his bravado could be so frail. Roxanne's sobbing voice brought him back to reality and without another word he stood and rocketed up through the gaping hole in the side of the building and into the sky.

Roxanne remained in place, slumped on the floor next to the huge pool of dark blood that was slowly mixing with the dust on the floor and soaking into the porous concrete. She looked down at her shaking hands, covered in his blood, Megamind's blood, the same man who had gone from her frequent kidnapper to her lover in the space of a few fluttering heartbeats. Her head span as the room around her began to blur and tilt alarmingly.

"Miss Ritchie?" A terrified voice called out from somewhere behind her as the door flew open and the room was filled with the head splitting sound of metal striking concrete.

"_Minion_!" Roxanne squeaked out as she stumbled to her feet and all but threw herself into the ever gentle robotic arms of the hench-fish. She buried her face into the fur on his chest as she felt his arms come up around her tentatively.

Minion was at a complete loss for words. As soon as the brainbots had confirmed the location that Miss Ritchie was being held he had jumped into the Invisible Car and headed straight over. When he was only a couple of miles away an intense sense of dread had settled over him causing him to plant the gas pedal even more firmly to the body of the car. Something had gone terrible terribly wrong and the sight that had greeted him once he had gotten inside the empty building had only compounded his fears.

"Miss Ritchie," he said in a quiet voice as his eyes found the dark stain on the floor across the room, "where is Sir?"

When the only response he received was the woman in his arms trying to bury herself further into his chest, he felt the colour drain from his scales. He cast another look around the room and picked out two glowing blue cubes a few feet away and the De-gun lying next to the dark stain. It was that stain that was keeping his attention. He knew what it looked like but he couldn't bring himself to actually form the thought into words.

He forced the rising panic down enough so that he could grasp the trembling woman as gently as he could by her shoulders and push her away from him enough so that he could look her in the face. She looked terrible, covered in cuts and bruises and dirt and she was as pale as a ghost.

"Miss Ritchie!" He said firmly, trying his best to swallow the lump in his throat, "Tell me what happened. _Please_?"

It was the final plaintive request, his voice crackling with fear, that finally got through to her. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath before launching into a broken and confused rendition of the events leading up to this moment.

"I thought we were _safe_!" She said with a sob as she was coming up to the climax of the story, "I thought it was all going to be OK! I was so _pleased_ to see him, so proud of him, and- and then..." She took a shuddering breath as she fought back the tears that were stinging the backs of her eyes, "And then this guy showed up again, and he had a gun and h-he …. Oh god Minion! He's been shot! There was so much- so much blood!"

Minion felt like the bottom had suddenly dropped out of his world. He suspected that it was only his grip on her shoulders that was keeping either of them standing upright. Megamind had been shot? He had never been _shot_ before! Well, he had been shot _at_ but nothing had ever made contact before. The police were always too afraid of him to use projectile weapons with any degree of accuracy and a majority of the time they were content to try and stay out of the way until Metro Man arrived. Shooting at a mad super villain was a very quick way to escalate an already volatile situation.

A voice in the back of Minion's head came to life suddenly, berating the fish for not doing his duty to protect his boss. He had been toying with an idea for a new type of fabric for a while now, an improvement on the Kevlar technology that he had already incorporated into Megamind's suit. While it was capable of protecting Megamind's body from sever impacts, it only offered minimal protection against small impact points like the one a bullet would cause. _Especially_ a bullet fired at close range.

"I-I didn't know what to do, I-I've never even seen him... I mean, I didn't even _think_..." Roxanne hiccupped as she closed her eyes tightly against the memory, "He was just _lying_ there and there was so much _blood_ and I didn't know what to do so I just shouted for help and..."

"Miss Ritchie," Minion said as calmly as he could, "Where is he now?"

"I don't know!" Roxanne wailed as she hid her face in her hands, "I screamed for help and W-Wayne showed up and just took him, he just _took_ him and I don't know where and..."

"Metro Man has him?" Minion didn't think he had ever been so relieved to hear that the hero had shown up and hauled his boss off some place. While he would never go so far as to say that he _trusted_ Mr Goody-two-shoes, he knew that the man's own sense of honour would not let him leave even his worst enemy to die. Especially not after knowing said enemy had actually rescued Miss Ritchie.

"Minion," Roxanne said, her voice weakening, "he's going to be OK, isn't he?"

"I hope so Miss Ritchie," Minion said with a sigh. The adrenalin that had been coursing through Roxanne's body, keeping her going as she recounted the story was quickly burning out and Minion finally noticed that she was still bleeding from various injuries quite badly. Her skin had grown pale and clammy and she was swaying unsteadily in his grip. "I think we need to get you to the hospital."

"No, I'm OK, I need to go where he is!" Roxanne protested weakly as her eyes began to roll back slightly, her speech becoming slurred, "I need-"

Minion caught her quickly as she passed out, sweeping her up into his arms gently. He took a shuddering breath as he looked around the room once more before leaving and issuing a command to one of the brainbots who had followed him inside to get the area cleaned up and return the De-gun and the cubes back to the Evil Lair.

oOoOoO

"_Minion_ brought you in here?" Wayne asked as Roxanne had finished filling him in on what she remembered.

"He must have," Roxanne whispered as she tried to stop herself from trembling again, "I don't remember much else after that."

"The doctors say that you went into shock."

"They should not have been talking to _you_!" Roxanne snapped, every emotion except her anger having drained away.

"They think that we're together, you know that." He said with a shrug.

"I don't _care_!" Roxanne hissed as she levelled an angry glare at him once again, "Your turn, Wayne! What the hell did you do with him?"

"OK," Wayne said as he rubbed at the back of his neck self-consciously.

oOoOoO

His heart was pounding as flew at break-neck speed across the city. His clothes had already been soaked through with the rain on the way over and Megamind's blood had managed to find any remaining dry patch, much to the hero's discomfort. He could hear the blue alien's hear beating sluggishly in his chest, urging the hero on, to reach his destination as quickly as possible.

Wayne's mind drifted back to the very first time Megamind had threatened the city with one of his inventions. The first time Metro Man had hauled the battered and bruised villain back to the prison where he belonged. Both of them had been young back then, impetuous and with short tempers. Metro Man had been _furious_ that Megamind had believed himself capable of defeating such an obviously indestructible hero and taking over the city. He had worked the small man over quite well during their battle, causing quite a few injuries that the hero had labelled as the consequences of acting against justice. Megamind had fallen unconscious on the journey back to the prison and had therefore missed the look of shock and disappointment that had crossed the Warden's face upon his return.

What Metro Man hadn't been expected was to be on the receiving end of some of that disappointment.

"Is this what justice means to you, lad?" The Warden had asked as he watched the guards taking Megamind off to the infirmary on a stretcher, "Don't you think this is a little bit... heavy handed?"

"He has to learn that Evil will not be tolerated." Metro man said with a self important smirk, "The firm fist of justice works swiftly and unflinchingly against the tyranny of evil."

"_Tyranny_," The Warden muttered under his breath as he shook his head before levelling tired eyes up at the city's golden child "Well, here is a lesson for you, boy. If there is one thing that that boy has never done it is respond to physical punishment in the way you think he will. It will not stop him from doing what he thinks he needs to, believe me. I know that boy better than even he knows himself!

"If you continue with this 'physical punishment' tack then he will end up _dead_ and _you_ will have his blood on his hands."

"Megamind's inventions are more likely to blow up in his own face and kill him. Good will never resort to the depravity of such deeds."

"Even so, just remember that Megamind is stubborn. Anything you can throw at him he will find a way to throw right back at you." The Warden sighed before scrubbing at his forehead with his fingertips, "Just promise me one thing. If he does get injured, no matter how badly, bring him _here_. The Hospitals don't have a clue how to handle him. Just bring him here."

Wayne shook his head to clear his thoughts as the prison walls came into view. Megamind was growing weaker every passing second and Wayne found himself struck with the very real possibility that the man in his arms was about to die.

He was already screaming for the warden as his feet landed heavily on the dirt of the recreation yard. Every spotlight from each watchtower suddenly focused on him as he ran towards the guards spilling from the main building. He recognised one of the guards, a woman, who sprinted out ahead of the pack before calling back over her shoulder for someone to go and get a stretcher and to wake up the medical team.

"What in the-" she said as she skidded to a halt in front of the hero, "Metro Man?"

It was very rare for Metro Man to make an appearance out of uniform. A majority of the city's population would have very real difficulty thinking of a time when he had ever been seen in civilian clothing yet here he was in a blood and rain soaked white shirt and very normal looking jeans. He looked like he was about to go and meet up with some friends on a Saturday night. The woman shook her head and berated herself for focusing on something so trivial when the real issue was lying unconscious in the hero's arms. She found herself left speechless at the sight of Megamind, so much closer to death than she had ever seen him before.

"Wow! Got himself _properly_ messed up this time eh?" One of the other guards said with more than a hit of chuckle in his voice.

"Shut the hell up! Go and call the Warden, tell him we'll need the surgical team!" The woman yelled as she pointed back towards the main building, "NOW!"

The other guards scurried away as a stretched was brought up, the unconscious alien placed gently upon it. Marci shivered as she forced back the tears that were threatening to spill. She was a senior prison guard now, much higher up the career ladder than when she had seen this boy come crashing down to earth as an infant. She had been captivated by the strange child from the moment she had seen him and just like a number of the prisoners and guards alike, she saw herself as partly responsible for his upbringing and welfare.

"It's alright kid, we got you." She whispered, more to herself than anything else before turning back towards the shell shocked hero, "Metro Man, what _happened_?"

"I don't know," He said as he finally managed to meet her eyes, "I heard Roxanne, she was screaming and by the time I got there … he was like this. She said he has been shot! Who would … who would even think of shooting him?"

"OK, OK big guy." She said in what she hoped still sounded like a soothing tone, "We'll take care of him."

"Is he going to be OK?" Wayne asked suddenly, the fear in his eyes taking Marci by surprise. These two men were arch enemies; they were supposed to _despise_ each other. Marci found herself almost giggling, despite the dire situation, at the thought of how Megamind would react to Metro Man's obvious concern.

"I don't know," She said honestly, "But we'll do our best. You know the Warden, he's gonna want to have a chat with the little guy about getting himself into scrapes like this! Why don't you head out and check on Miss Ritchie, I'm sure she's in a state right now."

"_ROXIE_!" Wayne shouted as he suddenly remembered that he had indeed abandoned Roxanne alone in the place where the villain had been shot right in front of her. He hadn't even considered the fact that the person who had done it may still be around. Without another word he blasted off into the night sky and headed back towards the building where he had left his only friend.

"By the time I got back to where I'd left you, you were already gone and here were a few of those creepy mechanical things cleaning up." Wayne said as he finished off his part of the story. The curtain around the hospital bed had been pulled over allowing Roxanne to get changed into some clean clothing that had been left for her in a bag by her bed. She had simply shrugged when she found the bag and discovered that the clothing she had been brought in wearing had been taken away. The Doctor had reluctantly given her the forms to sign herself of the hospital, making a poignant comment that their records were showing that she made a habit out of leaving against medical advice.

"But they are treating him?" Roxanne's voice asked from behind the curtain, "At the prison?" She pulled the curtain back as she ran a hand nervously through her hair. The anger that had been boiling through her veins ad faded once Wayne told her about the Warden's request that Megamind always be taken to the prisons medical wing if he ever became injured. From the few interviews she had managed to talk out of the Warden it was clear that while Megamind was the proverbial thorn in his side, he never really wished the man any harm.

"Yeah, I guess so. " Wayne shrugged. He was still having some difficulty processing exactly what Roxanne had been telling him about precisely what had happened in the run up to Megamind getting shot. "But, one thing I don't get. Why did Megamind come to rescue you? I mean, why didn't the people who kidnapped you call me out?"

"Because it wasn't you they were after!" Roxanne said as she pulled on a pair of trainers.

"Oh, well if they were after Megamind, why did they take you?"

Roxanne hesitated, looking around the room as if there may be someone listening, "Oh for goodness sake Wayne. That should be obvious to you! They took me for the exact same reason that Megamind always took me to call you out!"

"But that doesn't make any sense." Wayne frowned, "Megamind always kidnapped you because he thought you and I were together. If these people took you to get to Megamind then they must have thought … "

Roxanne levelled a steady gaze at him and raised one eyebrow despite the blush that spread to her cheeks. Wayne stared back in shock, vaguely aware that his mouth was hanging open.

"Roxie, when you said that I should take some time out and that you would make sure Megamind behaved himself, I didn't think you meant you would offer-"

Wayne's comment was cut abruptly short by the electric snap of her hand across his face. He hadn't even seen her move until her palm connected with his cheek. She held her hand against her chest as she glared daggers at him.

"I did not offer him any sort of bargain and you damn well know it Wayne!" She hissed as she stepped up close to him, forcing the tell man to lean backwards in his chair, "Aside from the fact that you should know me better than that I'm damn well surprised to hear that you still think he would accept such a thing. Whatever Megamind and I decide to do with each other is our business and no one else's, do you understand?"

Wayne nodded as he swallowed the lump that had appeared in his throat. Roxanne smiled tightly as she backed off giving him room to collect himself again.

"Wow!" Wayne said as a goofy grin spread on his face, "So, you and the little guy huh?"

"Shut the hell up Wayne." Roxanne said as she turned away from him to pick up her bag, "Now, take me to the Prison."

sSsSsS

When he had been woken up in the early hours of the previous morning to be told that Megamind had been brought back in and was in a very bad way, the Warden had thought his day could not get any worse. It had been a very strange 24 hours with Megamind on the operating table for far longer than he had ever been before. The doctors had said that the boy had lost an extraordinary amount of blood and they hadn't even expected him to live through the operation to repair the damage the bullet had caused. If the boy had been human the small piece of metal would have passed straight through his liver and that would have been curtains for him. Luckily his peculiar physiology had resulted in the bullet passing through an area of his abdomen that held very few important internal organs. It had however ruptured a few arteries and a great many veins which had resulted in the rapid blood loss that had caused his body to shut down. That massive brain of his, aside from getting the boy into no end of trouble, required a great amount of oxygen rich blood to keep it going and as soon as that oxygen supply is compromised his brain simply shuts off in an attempt to save itself.

After the first time that the boy had been seriously injured in a prison riot the Warden had ordered the medical wing to gather some reserve blood supplies in case of emergencies. The child hated going to the medical wing and gave the Warden no small amount of grief for sending him there once a month to take a couple of pints at a time but those reserves had never been needed as badly as they had been this time.

He entered his office and fell heavily into his chair with a sigh. After a few moments of sitting back with his eyes closed he leaned forwards and pulled a hip flask out from under a stack of papers in his desk drawer. The sound of his desk phone interrupted him just as he was bringing the small metal flask up to his lips.

"Yes?" He snapped as he answered the phone. He had been awake ever since he had received the call about Megamind the previous day and his age was beginning to get the better of him.

"Sir, I'm sorry to bother you, it's Office Blackley at the main gate Sir," The voice on the other end of the phone said apologetically, "Metro Man is here with the reporter, Roxanne Ritchie. They say they are here to see Megamind. I have tried to send them away but they are insisting, Sir."

"Bring them up to my office." The Warden said sharply before hanging up the phone and replacing the hip flask in his hiding place. If he removed the leather cover of the flask he would find an inscription he had read a thousand times and if he actually removed the cap he would be able to smell the finest quality single malt whiskey ever made. The exact same single malt whiskey that had occupied the flask when it was given to him almost 20 years ago by someone who meant more to him than anyone ever had before. The flask was his prized possession, despite never actually having taken so much as a swig from it.

"Come in." He said loudly in response to a knock on his door. He sighed to himself again as he watched the city's hero, in all of his uniformed glory, come striding into the office with Miss Ritchie following on behind him. The Warden stood and offered his hand in greeting to both before asking them to sit and falling back into his own chair himself.

"Thank you for letting us in Warden." Roxanne said with a tired smile as she sat down gingerly. The warden took in her battered and bruised condition with barely concealed surprise. Her face was covered in cuts and the bruise on her cheek looked like she could have received it in a bar room brawl.

"Don't mention it Miss Ritchie." The Warden nodded to her as he managed to collect his thoughts, "Office Blackley says you want to go and see Megamind. Do you mind telling me why, I would have thought that he would be the last person you would want to see, considering your injuries."

"Megamind didn't do this to me," Roxanne said, her voice shaking a bit, "He was the one who saved me, actually. Please, I know this is out of the ordinary and you really don't owe me anything but I would consider it a very great favour if you could let me see him. Just for a moment."

"Miss Ritchie, this is very unusual." The Warden frowned.

"Please. I just need to see him." She said very quietly as she looked down at the floor.

"And just what do you have to do with all of this?" The Warden asked Metro Man who had been standing by one of the windows, watching the prisoners in the exercise yard.

Metro Man frowned; there was something different in the air here today. He had been in the Warden's office on many occasions before and the exercise year was always filled with activity in one form or another. This time most of the prisoners were just standing around in groups, talking. Metro Man closed his eyes slightly as he concentrated on the sound. They were talking about Megamind. All of them.

"Metro Man?" The Warden's voice brought his consciousness back into the room as his eyes snapped back to the pair sitting at the desk.

"They are saying he is dead." The Hero said his voice numb. The shock that passed over the faces of both of the people sitting at the desk surprised him as if he hadn't even considered the impact of what he had just said.

"What?" Roxanne said as she stood instantly, panic flooding her features as the blood drained from her face. Noise suddenly erupted in the room as Roxanne began yelling to be taken to the injured alien while the Warden tried to make himself heard above the din echoing around in the room.

"He is not dead!" The Warden bellowed sending a furious glare back at Metro Man who was standing sheepishly at the windows, "Despite what the prisoners out there may be gossiping about!"

"He isn't?" Roxanne asked as tears pooled in her eyes once more. She scrubbed furiously at her eyes with the heel of her hand, curing herself from looking so weak once again. She had done a lot of crying in the last 48 hours and she really didn't want to do any more.

"No," The Warden said as he gestured for everyone to sit down again, "He is still in critical condition, but the surgery on the bullet wound went well."

"Oh thank god!" Roxanne said with a sigh of relief, "He seemed to go unconscious so quickly, I thought he was going to die in my arms."

"While I am sure there are worse places to go, I'm afraid we haven't quite got rid of him yet." The older man chuckled as the tension in the room evaporated, "He is in critical condition and he hasn't regained consciousness but the prognosis is good. He's bounced back from tough scrapes before. Granted, nothing like this has happened before, but we managed to get some blood back into his veins and the doctors are confident that he will make a good recovery. Rest assured Miss Ritchie, I have the best surgeons and doctors on my team for just this particular occasion. These people have seen that boy grow up, they know what makes him tick."

Roxanne could only nod as she focused on pulling herself together. The Warden went on to describe what treatment he had been given before he asked her to run through the events that led up to the blue man's arrival at the prison in such a bad state. Roxanne didn't miss the look that passed over his face when she mentioned the names that Hal and her other kidnapper had been mentioning during the whole terrible ordeal but she didn't press him.

"I see." The grey haired man said as he leaned back in his chair while running a hand down his tired face, "Well I don't envy you. You seem to have gone through one hell of a lot. But these last few weeks have been something of a vacation for me, it's been so quiet around here and I was wondering who I had to thank for that. Interesting. Well, I think that is enough talk for now, I'll take you down to the infirmary, you can have 5 minutes, nothing more, understand?"

Roxanne nodded, not missing the look he had given her when he had mentioned how quiet it had been. He knew, she could tell from the look of quiet understanding that he knew how deep her feelings for the man ran because he felt it too. A love for a man so intense that no matter what he did, no matter how much trouble he caused he would always have someone who cared. She looked into the eyes of this man who saw himself as the father figure that Megamind desperately needed and realised that there was at least one other person in the world who saw Megamind for the person he could be, not just the person he wanted people to think he was.

The Warden stood and helped Roxanne to stand before leading the pair through the prison towards the medical wing.

"Unfortunately this is the only way through to the infirmary." The Warden said as they neared yet another barred gate which seemed to lead into one of the prison blocks, "This block is for the more... well behaved inmates so they should not cause a problem, just don't go near the cells and don't talk to anyone ok?"

The gate slid open and Roxanne couldn't help herself but look into each cell as she followed slowly down the centre of the block. The barred fronts of the cells lined either side of the walkway and inside each was a man who watched the three of them pass by with hawk like interest. As they neared the middle of the wing the whispers began to make their way down the line about just who the woman was that was suddenly among them. Whispers of her name spread down the line drawing her attention before the muttering and murmurs escalated into a dull roar which became loud enough to draw the Warden's attention. As he marched up to one of the more vocal prisoners Roxanne's attention was captured by a surprisingly old man in a cell close by where she was waiting.

"Hey, You're Megamind's girl aint ya?" The man whispered despite the din that was erupting along the cell block. The man's face was weather beaten but kind, his pale eyes drawing her closer with a gently smile. She found herself nodding as she got closer despite the pounding of her heart in her ears.

"Word is our little Blue has gone and got himself shot." The man said quickly when she came close enough, "You know who did it?"

"Ermm..." Roxanne hesitated as she looked back over her shoulder to where the Warden had been joined by Metro Man and a number of prison guards, "It was some guy called Sinclaire."

"Did he mention any other names?" The man asked quietly, his voice raspy, "Sinclaire is a gofer, just does whatever the highest bidder tells him to."

"Well... He mentioned the name Ikura, but I don't-"

"IKURA!" The man hissed angrily enough to cause Roxanne to jump backwards slightly. The man pushed himself back away from the bars into his cell while shouting illegibly in a foreign language Roxanne couldn't place. She backed away to the centre of the walkway again before turning and finding herself only a few feet away from the Warden, a deep scowl having settled on his features.

"These guys like to make a lot of noise; the guards can handle this Miss Richie." Without another word he turned and headed out towards the opposite end of the block. Metro Man fell in step behind Roxanne as they made their way past the yelling inmates up towards the end of the block.

After taking a few more corridors through the bowels of the prison, Roxanne found herself in a bizarrely normal waiting room complete with uncomfortable looking chairs and a supposedly calming fish tank.

"You can wait in here until they are ready for you. Officer Hake will take you in once the doctors are finished." The Warden said as he nodded to a young guard who stood to attention by the door, "I must warn you Miss Ritchie, It is unlikely that he will have woken up yet, I'm not sure what you can gain from seeing him at this time. But then who am I to argue? I'm getting too old for this stuff." With that he turned and left Roxanne and Metro man in the waiting room with the guard standing by the door, his arms linked behind his back. The smile on the man's face drew Roxanne's attention as he seemed to be watching her from across the room.

"Can I help you with something?" Roxanne asked, her question hardly even gaining Metro Man's attention as he stared at the fish swimming around inside the tank.

"I'm just glad to see you have recovered quickly, Miss Ritchie." The guard said as his smile grew wider. His soft brown eyes crinkled slightly at the edges as the genuine expression touched his eyes in a manner that she had only seen on one other person. Her own answering grin spread slowly on her face as she nodded her understanding. The guard held one finger to his lips before sending a meaningful glance at Metro Man's back. Roxanne didn't have time to nod her agreement to keep quiet as the door opened suddenly, a woman in a long white coat striding through looking the rooms occupants up and down analytically.

"Miss Ritchie?" The woman asked, her voice rough, "Follow me."

As Roxanne stepped out of the room she felt the guard fall into step behind her before he turned o Metro Man instructing him to remain in the waiting room. He closed the door swiftly, effectively shutting down any protest that the Hero may have been about to make.

"How is the prisoner's condition?" He asked the doctor as they followed her towards one of the recovery wards. The white walls of the corridors passed by in a blur as Roxanne could hardly make out the conversation past the thundering of her own heart.

"His condition has stabilised." The woman said with a shrug, "He has yet to regain consciousness but his vitals are improving. We will know more about any possible brain damage if and when he wakes up."

"Brain damage?" Roxanne asked in a high pitched voice. She nearly fell over her own feet as she threw a concerned look at the office walking at her side.

"It's possible. He suffered a massive amount of blood loss and his brain may have been starved of oxygen for quite some time." The Doctor spoke as if she was reading from a medical journal, not noticing the reactions she was receiving a few feet behind her.

"But that has not been confirmed yet?" The officer asked after clearing his throat.

"No, the scans have shown up as normal, but he normally comes round from stuff like this sooner." She said as they moved down yet another white corridor, "You have to remember this guy isn't exactly normal. Conventional rules of medicine do not apply. He is lucky that I have been treating him for his entire life. Someone who was not used to his anatomy would have lost him by now!"

The pair following behind her fell silent as they came up to the doors of the recovery ward. She scanned her card against a pad on the wall before pushing through the door and holding it open for Roxanne and the office to follow through behind her. Roxanne scanned the room and quickly settled on the shape of a body concealed under white bed sheets. A curtain was partially blocking the view of the bed but she knew it was him. A female prison guard who she recognised from her last visit was standing by the foot of the bed.

"Well?" The doctor said, breaking the silence sharply, "I don't have all day to wait around here you know."

"Ah, Dr Leonard," The female office said with a smile, "I wonder if I may have a word with you, I private?"

"Well, I have to supervise this-"

"Don't worry about that," The prison guard said as he turned back towards the doctor, "I will keep an eye on things."

"Well this is highly unusual!" The doctor protested as she removed her glasses and scrubbed at them with the corner of her lab coat.

"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important." The other woman said insistently as she stepped towards the door. As she left she sent a smile to the brown eyed guard who nodded his understanding.

"Five minutes Miss Ritchie." He said as soon as the door closed behind the two women.

"Minion?" Roxanne asked as she looked back towards the bed on the other side of the room, "What if he..."

"He's made of strong stuff, Miss Ritchie." He smiled back at her from behind his disguise, "Go on."

"Can you people please not talk about me like I'm not here!" The weak, wheezing voice had Roxanne spinning on her heel before she nearly sprinted across the room to his bedside. Both of his wrists were handcuffed to the bed but his eyes were open and he was smiling up at her wistfully. "So Miss Ritchie, we meet again."

"And what diabolical scheme have you got for me this time?" She chuckled past the tears that betrayed her to spill down her cheeks as she moved closer to him. She laced her fingers through his as best she could and did her very best to smile at him.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" His words dissolved into a coughing fit that seemed to make every bone in his body shake. Roxanne could hear Minion shuffling nervously from foot to foot behind her as he stood a discreet distance away.

"Hey, hey," She said as she rubbed one hand on his chest in what she hoped was a comforting manner, "Come on now, just breath. The nefarious plotting can wait for now can't it?"

"Whatever you say, Miss Richie." He grinned once the coughing fit had passed, "I do, after all, owe you my life."

"I owe you mine, more like."

"Well, let's call it even then eh?" He closed his eyes as his head rested back against the pillow.

"You're tired, I should go." Roxanne said as she went to pull away from him. His fingers tightened around hers as his entire body stiffened up.

"No!" He said as strongly as he could without causing another fit of painful coughing, "No, don't go, not yet."

She nodded as she choked back the tears. He was so pale, so fragile. Such a far cry from the man that she had know for over half of her life, the man she had let in to her heart. She could hear his breath rattling in his chest and his eyes looked sunken into his head.

"Roxanne," He said with a sigh, his thumb rubbing up and down her fingers, "please, don't cry. Not for me."

"What do you mean 'not for you'?" She sniffed as she met his tired green eyes again, "I can cry for whoever I want to."

"But I don't deserve it." He closed his eyes and turned his face away with a wince, "It's my fault you got hurt, you would have been better off not-"

"Don't say that!" She said much more sharply than she had meant to. She placed her hand on his cheek to turn his face back towards her as he leaned over him. "Don't you dare say that! None of this was your fault!"

"But if I had never-"

"Do you think I had forgotten who you are? Who you were?" She closed her eyes against the tears as she placed her forehead as gently as she could against his, "You are not the monster that the city thinks you are. You saved my life and put your own in danger, you are my hero!"

"How did things get so complicated?" He asked quietly after a few moments when he managed to find his voice again. He had never been called anyone's hero before and knowing that Roxanne thought that about him sent a tingly feeling all though his body.

"It isn't complicated at all." Roxanne said as she shook her head, pulling away from his slightly, "It's really quite simple."

"Um..." Minion's vice whispered from somewhere behind her, "Sorry Sir but times almost up."

"Simple? How so?" Megamind asked as he settled back into the pillows.

"It's the simplest thing in the world isn't it?" She said quietly as she could hear the quiet click of the door lock releasing. She leaned forwards and drew him into a slow kiss that had his toes curling under the sheets. His hands strained at the cuffs holding him to the bed as he desperately wanted to touch her.

"Miss Ritchie?" Minion's voice had taken on a harder edge as he slipped back into character as the door opened.

Roxanne tried to pull away but Megamind followed her, capturing her lips again in a series of small kisses before he finally lay back against the pillows, a soft smile on his face.

"I love you." Roxanne said in a whisper, still close enough for him to feel her breath fan against his face, "It's as simple as that."

Without another word she pulled away from the bed, resisting the urge to chuckle at the goofy expression that had settled on his features. If he had responded to her she couldn't hear it as the two women came back into the room, still bickering about something.

"Well I honestly don't see what was so important about that!" The Doctor said as she went to check on her patient's vital signs, "I don't suppose he woke up while I was gone?"

"No change Doc," Minion said quickly before Roxanne could say anything. He winked at her as the Doctor had her back turned and nodded towards Megamind who was once again lying motionless in the bed. Roxanne nodded her understanding as she stepped back towards the door, watching the Doctor move around the seemingly unconscious alien in the same way a mechanic would work on a car.

"Time's up Miss Ritchie." Minion said as he placed a hand on her elbow, directing her towards the door.

She followed him back towards the door with a smile tugging at her lips. Casting one last look over her shoulder at him she saw him crack one eye open and smirk at her briefly before his expression relaxed again. Minion escorted her out of the medical wing taking her back through the endless warren of corridors and metal security gates before she found herself a few minutes later in the reception hall once again, the security guard scowling at her as she walked confidently past him.

"I hope you got what you came for Miss Ritchie." The Warden's voice echoed around the room, startling her out of her thoughts. She turned and nodded to him with a small smile before following Minion, still disguised as the young prison guard, out of the building and into the car park.

"Wait, Metro Man brought me here, where did he go?" Roxanne asked as she suddenly remembered the hero she had left in the waiting room.

"Oh don't worry about him! He will figure things out eventually. The Invisible Car is just round the corner, I'll take you back to the Lair, if you don't mind that it."

"The Lair?" Roxanne asked as she frowned up at him.

"The boss asked me to keep you safe. We need to at the very least get your locks changed; I had meant to do that sooner but with everything going on..."

"Oh, right." She said as her mind flashed back to the events of the past couple of days, she realised with a start that there was still someone out there who had orchestrated this whole thing. She looked around worriedly, wrapping her arms around herself self consciously.

"Don't worry Miss Ritchie." Minion said as he picked up on her anxiety, "It's just a precaution, at least until Sir gets out, anyway. You would be doing me a favour actually, Sir would be so cranky if he found out I left you alone!"

"You know what, Minion?" Roxanne said after a few moments when the almost undetectable outline of the invisible car came into view, "The Lair sounds perfect."

The End

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><p>AN: Oh good lordy does it ever feel good to actually reach the conclusion of something! Of course there is more to tell and this story will have a follow up even if I have to tie myself to a chair and superglue a pen to my hand to do it the old fashioned way! The follow up I have in mind involves a few more characters who need development in "Whatever you are, be a good one" So I'm going to be working on this for a while now.

SO please leave a review, I LOVE reviews!


	20. The next not-so-evil scheme

Bonus chapter! I wanted a little bit of closure for Complicated Simplicity so enter the mysterious epilogue! There will also be a little ditty about what Wayne got up to on his sabbatical but I want that one to be more of a comedy thing so it's going as a stand-alone short soon. I know the story, just need to write it.

I am going to write a follow up, but I need to get "Whatever You Are, Be A Good One" sorted as the follow up to this will have many of the same characters. Keeping a tight hold on all of the OCs is a bit tricksy.

Enjoy ^_^

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><p>The warden stood for a moment watching the data that was being scanned every second from the occupant of the unique prison cell. It had originally been built to put whatever prisoner that was being kept inside on the psychological back foot thanks to it's lack of corners and walls that sloped inwards, despite it's once-upon-a-time role as a make-shift playroom for the alien baby. Over the years when Megamind had been honing his super villain reputation the room had been outfitted with every type of bio-telemetry and scanning equipment money could buy, funded mainly by the bioengineering wing of Scott Enterprises.<p>

The data banks in front of him could tell him the body temperature, brain activity level, hormone levels and even blood pressure of the alien housed inside the room. Yet all of the fancy equipment was next to useless, barely more than a very expensive form of market research providing every piece of useless information the psychotherapists believed they needed. The one thing the Warden had actually needed the blasted machine to do was tell him what the blue alien was actually _thinking_ yet that one was the only thing it could _not_ do.

His breathing was steady and he wasn't moving at all, yet the Warden didn't need the machines to tell him that the alien was wide awake. He had spent years observing this man, watching him grow from an incredibly adorable child to a mischievous youngster through to a troublesome teenager and then a menace of a young man. There wasn't a single thing that Megamind could do that would surprise the Warden. Or so he had thought.

After a while he had finally managed to get Metro Man to spill the beans on what had truly happened in the run up to Megamind getting himself shot. The news of how Megamind had run in to save Miss Ritchie had not come as _too_ much of a surprise, anyone would have to be deaf, blind and utterly stupid to miss the fact that the boy was head over heels in love with the reporter. But the Warden had not expected Megamind to actually put himself in _danger_ to save her. His machines and even Minion maybe, but _himself_?

The old man shook his head, berating himself for yet again going back on his vow to stop trying to figure the lad out. It was far too difficult and tiring and only served to raise his blood pressure.

The second thing that had surprised him recently had been that fact that after three weeks Megamind had not made _any_ move to escape the prison. In fact he had been better behaved since his shooting than he had been for years.

Some of the officers, Marci Kipriani included, were under the opinion that Megamind had finally turned over that leaf they had been begging him to consider. The Warden huffed at the thought, it would take much more than a few weeks of good behaviour to convince him the boy had gone good.

Still, he was a big believer in second chances so he releaved the guard on duty, offering him an extra coffee break to get him out of the way, and went to the door to the cell before he could change his mind about what he was about to do.

"I heard you have been pretty quiet recently," The Warden said by way of greeting as he stepped into the cell making sure the door closed solidly behind him, "I figured I better come and check on you myself, in case you had checked out on us for good this time."

"Nah," Megamind replied with a wave of his hand, not even bothering to open his eyes let alone spin his chair around to face the older man, "Why would I go and do that, you would all miss me too much."

"Well I can see your ego is as inflated as ever." The Warden chuckled as he shook his head slightly. Even as a teenager the alien had developed a very high opinion of himself.

"And you are _surprised_ by that?"

"Not in the slightest." He ran his hand through his grey hair as he took a deep breath, "But I am surprised about one thing."

"Oh really? Do tell." Megamind said as he shifted in his seat. He still hadn't turned to face the warden yet the older nan could clearly hear the smirk in his voice.

"Well you are still here. It has been Just over two weeks since the Doctors let you out of the medical wing. That's just not like you. Don't you have another _hair-brained_ scheme to take over the city or something?"

"_Hair_-brained? Oh very funny." Megamind rolled his eyes as he finally span his chair around smoothly and tented his fingers in front of himself.

"You know what I mean kid." The warden frowned as one eyebrow twitched slightly in annoyance, "You gonna tell me the truth now or what? You know damn well you can't lie for shit. Not to _me_."

Megamind hiked one eyebrow up in surprise. The Warden had never been one for swearing and even mild cussing was not in his usual vocabulary. The old man was letting something get to him which was so very out of character that Megamind had to wonder what it was that was going on.

He was right though, despite all of the evil doings, mayhem and destruction, Megamind had never been much of a liar. He just wasn't very good at it.

"I just don't feel like it. Escaping I man. Not just at this moment."

"I would have thought you actually had something to escape _to_ this time." The warden said as he fixed the blue alien with a piercing stare.

"Oh _fantastic_!" Megamind said as he leaned forwards in his chair and ran one hand down his face, "I'm guessing you got MR Goody-Two-Shoes to sing like a canary! Honestly! That man has no concept or personal privacy!"

"He didn't exactly have a choice. You should know I'm good at getting people like that to talk"

"Oh yes, I do remember all of your little '_talks_' with Minion! I really must pay you back for those some day!"

"You wouldn't dare!" A smirk threatened to pull up the corner of the Wardens face as his stance relaxed slightly. For the first time in too many years he felt like he was actually talking to Megamind the person, not Megamind the villain. "But the question remains, why are you in here when you could very easily be out there with _her_."

"And what would that _make_ her?" Megamind snapped with more force that the Warden had been expecting, "The pawn in another attempt on the city? A hostage to draw out Metro Man? Or someone who could very well be hauled in here for aiding and abetting?"

"What?" The warden breathed, truly surprised by the angry outburst, "_That's_ why you are still here?"

"The game has _changed_ Warden! Hell I don't even recognise the pieces any more let alone the rules! What exactly am I supposed to do now? She got _hurt_ because someone wanted to get to _me_! If I hadn't found her then who knows what would have happened to her!"

"Do you love her?" The warden asked suddenly, cutting Megamind off in mid monologue. The alien blinked once before looking away, unable to meet the grey eyes of the only man to be in his life as a permanent fixture. "Well _that's_ a yes if ever I saw one!"

"Oh what would you know?" Megamind folded his arms across his chest and barely resisted the urge to pout. He was fully aware of the fact tat he looked like a child but he honestly couldn't help it.

"A lot more than you think, that's what!" The warden sighed slightly, "If you learn anything from this it has to be that she is a very strong woman. She has been taking care of herself for a long time and you need to realise that she is fully capable of making her own choices. Judging by the look on her face when she came in to _beg_ to be allowed to see you a few weeks ago she has already made her choice. If you try to choose _for_ her … well lets just say that won't go over very well."

"What if someone else tries to hurt her." Megamind said very quietly. So quietly in fact that the Warden had hardly even heard him.

"Then you be there to save her again. I'm not saying it is going to be easy kid but you have to follow your heart on this one. That head of your is what is causing the problem here. You are over thinking things. Tell me. When you close your eyes what do you see?"

Megamind closed his eyes obediently as a calm smile spread on his face. He didn't even say anything before the Warden spoke for him.

"I thought so."

"So what are you suggesting, exactly?" Megamind asked as he opened his eyes. He looked tired, more so that the Warden had ever seen before.

"I think now is a very good time for a career change. I don't think that Miss Ritchie will go for the whole _Evil Queen_ bit. But maybe she would if you dropped the Evil shtick." The Warden watched for any signs of rebuttal that the man in front of his was giving off yet he couldn't detect any, "It isn't going to be easy, but I think your path in life is going to take a very dramatic direction change. I know I could really do with the break it would give me at least!"

"So you think I should stay _inside_? Show up in court like a good little convict and take whatever the city can throw at me?"

"Oh come on! You and I _both_ know that you have never been in court a day in your life!" The warden said, noting the frown that settled on the other man's face with relief, "I'm sure something can be arranged if your have the right people working on it. But just remember, you have something worth fighting _and_ _winning_ for now, don't mess it up."

"Huh! Easier said than done old man!"

"Well now, I'm going to have to head off, no rest for the wicked after all." The warden sighed as he turned back towards the door, "Oh, by the way, Officer Kipriani is going to be watching you tonight. Go easy on her. I don't think she has been getting much sleep recently so he's a bit tired at the moment. I swear to god if you are not in this room tomorrow morning you will not know what hits you. Have a nice night."

Megamind blinked as the older man left the room and locked the door behind him. It was the longest talk that he had had with the Warden for years and yet he believed that most of what was said had been between the lines. A smirk slowly spread across his face as he sat back in his chair, his mind a whirlwind of activity on the monitors outside.

OooOoOoO

The lair was dark and cold, the brainbots having long since returned for the night to recharge their batteries. The smell of fresh baking still lingered after Minion had spent the evening baking an array of sweet treats which still sat cooling on the kitchen counter top. The fish had retreated to his room once Roxanne had taken herself off to bed for this night leaving the main warehouse abandoned, for the most part.

One solitary brainbot who sat on top of one of the larger machines, spending her guard duty staring off into the middle distance noted a movement in the shadows but after a quick scan of the area settled back to guard her post. No threat having being detected.

Roxanne sighed in her sleep as she rolled over, pulling the thick duvet up around her as she shivered slightly. It had taken a while for her to get used to the cold of the Lair and Minion had been kind enough to turn the temperature up slightly but there was only so much he could do to heat the expansive space. Her face twitched along with a dream, the day having been filled with what passed for excitement recently. She had spent most of the day at the hospital having various scans and x-rays on her arm as the cast was finally removed. A brace lay on the cabinet beside the bed, intended to be worn at all times but too uncomfortable to sleep in effectively. The scar on her wrist was itchy but she had forced herself to forget about it as she had drifted off into a fitful sleep.

The shadows in the room shifted as the soft sound of fabric falling to the floor disturbed the quiet. The bed sank down slightly behind her causing her to shift onto her back, muttering something illegible in her sleep. A hand brushed her bangs away from her face as a pair of soft lips pressed gently to her forehead.

Her eyes snapped open, suddenly very awake and alert as her gaze focused in the dark onto a pair of very green and very close eyes. Megamind grinned down at the shocked expression that crossed her face before her reached around him to pull him into a fierce hug, His own arms snaked around her, holding onto her almost desperately as he shifted himself without breaking contact until he could lay comfortably beside her.

He felt her pull away slight causing him to relax his grip on her before he felt her lips press against his in a kiss that left him hungry for more. At some point he ended up on his back with her laying on his chest, one hand curled around the back of his neck as the other rubbed up and down his chest over the white prison issue tank top he had been wearing under the orange jump suit.

"Hi." He said breathlessly when they finally came up for air. A grin spread on his face and a chuckle escaped from his throat as she leaned down one more for a short but very sweet kiss.

"Hi yourself." Roxanne said, her face barely even inches away from his as she ran her nose along the line of his tenderly. She had no idea how he had come to be in this bed or even if this whole thing was real or a dream but she was determined to believe it was real and fully take advantage of the fact.

"Well I must say," Megamind said as he managed to find his voice again, "Minion never used to greet me like that."

"Well I _hope_ you never greeted him like this." She said as she kissed him again, his hands sending shots of electricity up and down her spine as they ran over her back, sneaking under the night shirt she was wearing.

"Well not _exactly_ like this, no" He grinned as she pulled back again. Se stared up at her for what felt like an eternity, wondering once again how he actually managed to find himself in this situation. His hand came up and swept her bangs out of her face, his palm lingering on her cheek as she closed her eyes and leaned into him.

"Minion was beginning to get worried about you. He said it never normally takes you this long to escape." Roxanne said with a smile as she had to resist the urge to purr like a contented house cat.

"Oh my dear, I don't _escape_, I just leave when I get bored with it." His smile faded as he sighed to himself, "But I needed the time to think. About us, about _this_... what this means."

"And what did you come up with?" Roxanne asked as the grin slipped from her face. She moved to sit up next to him but his hand resting on the small of her back held her firmly in place. She could practically feel the colour drain from her face as every possible outcome of his next sentence whirled around her head.

"I 'came up with' the fact that..." He paused as he closed his eyes briefly, taking a steadying breath. He had felt her body tense up against his instantly and it was making him concerned about what he was about to say. "I _love_ you. And while I have absolutely no idea how this is going to work, I want it to. So _very_ badly. So unless you are willing to reconsider my offer to make you my Evil Queen..."

She smirked down at him as she folded her arms across his chest. One eyebrow arched up as she shook her head slightly at his giddy expression.

"Well, seen as you are completely in denial about how _amazing_ that would be. I guess I'll just have to 'settle' for..." He fixed her with a serious gaze, his green eyes almost glittering in the darkness. The lights of the city shining in through the windows hight up on the walls close to the lofty ceiling giving the only light in the room. "For simply making you my Queen instead. Dropping the 'Evil' part."

"_Megamind_..."

"Continuing to be 'Evil' will only get you hurt in the end, and it may have even been _me_ who ended up hurting you. And I never, _ever_ want to see you get hurt ever again. Roxanne," He took another deep breath as his voice began to shake, "Roxanne, you have no idea how much you mean to me, and I will do anything, _anything_ if it means I can keep you."

"Megamind," Roxanne said as her vision began to blur, "I love you so much, but I can't ask you to change who you are, not for me."

"You yourself have told me before that you don't think I'm actually _Evil_." Megamind smirked as his thumb swiped a tear from her cheek before it could fall any further, "Giving up the 'façade' probably wont be that difficult. Of course it would mean stopping any future plans to take over the city... but I would do it for you."

"Megamind," She whispered as she gazed down at him, a few more tears breaking free and falling onto his chest.

"OK, you can keep saying that, I _love_ the way that sounds!" He chuckled as he leaned up and captured her lips in a soft kiss. He could feel her tremble against him slightly as he pulled her back down onto the bed. As they pulled apart Roxanne lay her head against his chest as his fingers played absently with her hair.

"Roxanne," He began after a few moments, "I am not going to force you to do anything you don't want to do. Any time you want to leave, that's fine! I asked Minion to bring you here and keep an eye on you until I'm sure you would be safe at your apartment. I've had some Brainbots keep an eye on the place and no one else has been up there. In some ways, maybe it would be better for us to … distance ourselves-"

"No!" Roxanne yelled much louder than she had actually meant to, "I will not let anyone dictate who I can and cannot spend my time with. Not Wayne, my parents, this... 'Ikura' guy... and not the City. I'm just as confused about all of this as you are but I... I know that I love you and I want to be with you. Yes, the whole 'Evil' thing would be difficult to deal with but I honestly think you are far better than that!

"Megamind, you are brilliant and wonderful and amazing and yet despite your over inflated ego, you don't seem to be able to see your true worth! I don't want you to change who you are. I want you to become who you truly should be!"

"But what if I don't know who I should be?" He asked, his voice a quiet hum against her ear. He held onto her tighter as he buried his nose into her hair.

"Well then you are lucky you have so many good people around you to help." She smiled as she nuzzled closer to him, "You have me and Minion, and Wayne and the Warden in their own... very unique way."

"_Wayne_?"

"Well yeah," Roxanne shrugged as she tried to stifle a yawn. She closed her eyes as the feel of Megamind's fingers running up and down her spine gently lulled her towards sleep. Megamind chuckled slightly when it became clear she wasn't going to offer up any more information than that.

"So you really think I could do it? Stop being Evil I mean?"

"I don't think you were ever evil." Roxanne said sleepily as her breathing levelled out and her grip on him relaxed slightly.

"Maybe not." Megamind mumbled to himself as he tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. He sighed as he looked down at the top of her head. When he had left the prison he knew she would be at the Lair, Minion had kept him updated about that much, but he had still been surprised to find her here, in his own bed no less.

He blinked owlishly as the bedroom door opened slightly, the soft blue/green light from Minion's dome cast the room in an almost eerie light as he leaned in through the door. A grin spread on Megamind's face as Minion smiled back knowingly.

"Nice to see you out again Sir," Minion whispered from the doorway, "what time would you like your 'welcome home' breakfast?

"Early Minion. I can't stay for long, I'll explain later. Just let Roxanne get a few more hours sleep."

"Oh, OK." Minion said as his smile slipped a little, "Will do, Sir."

"Thank you Minion," Megamind said quietly, "for everything, I mean."

"Oh, well..." Minion said with a slight frown, "you're welcome." He backed out of the room and shut the door quietly behind him plunging the room into the welcoming darkness once again.

OooOoOoOoO

"mmmmmm" Roxanne hummed sleepily as she buried her face deeper into the pillow. She opened her eyes briefly before screwing them shut again tightly, "nnnaaaaaa! 's not ev'n dawn!"

"Come on my love, wake up, please." Megamind said against her ear as he ran his nose along its shell. He had slithered out from under her a few minutes before to see if Minion was preparing breakfast before padding barefoot back into the room to wake the woman sleeping in his bed.

"-time it is?" She mumbled as she rolled over onto her back to blink sleepily up at him.

"4:30."

"I take it back, you _are_ evil!" She grumbled as she tried to pull the duvet up over her face, "Why are you waking me up so early in the gad damn morning? Do you not value your _life_?"

"You can come up with a suitable punishment later, in the mean time, _breakfast_!" Megamind said as he dragged the duvet off the bed, chuckling at the enraged squeak he received from the grouchy woman, "come on, please. I can't stay for long."

"Where are you going?" Roxanne asked as she instantly woke up fully.

"I have to go back to the prison," He sighed as he sat on the edge of the bed again. Roxanne sat up next to him and practically tilted her head in confusion as she blinked at him. For a moment Megamind just sat there staring at her, a wistful smile on his face. "It's a long story and I'll explain everything I promise. After breakfast. Minion is making waffles!"

"Oh, well..." Roxanne said with a frown, "if there are waffles..."

"Good girl." he said quietly as he tangled his hand in her hair gently and pulled her in for a tender kiss.

As the pair of them emerged a few minutes later, Roxanne wrapped in a fluffy black bathrobe and Megamind dressed in a black t-shirt with the orange prison jump suit pulled up to his waist and tied loosely around his middle. Minion pointed at the table which he had already set with glasses of fresh squeezed orange juice and an assortment of warm pastries. Despite the early hour Roxanne found her stomach growling almost immediately as she sat down in a high backed chair that Megamind held out for her.

"Well this is more than a little bit strange." She said as she shuffled the chair closer to the table. A few brainbots who had woken up for their early morning patrol had gathered excitedly around their creator as he grinned and stroked each one on their plasma domes.

"So much for keeping a low profile from you guys eh?" He said with a laugh as minion brought in two plates piled high with pancakes and waffles complete with lashings of maple syrup.

"No wonder you two are so full of energy all the time if _this_ is what you wake up to each morning!"

"Oh no, this is the 'welcome home' breakfast." Minion said as he set one of the plates in front of Roxanne, "I must say we have never held one quite this early in the morning though."

"Yes, I am sorry about that." Megamind said with a sigh as he sent the last of the brainbots back to work before sitting down, "I'm afraid I don't have a lot of time this morning."

Minion blinked in confusion as he stood by the table a few feet away. He could tell something was wrong but his boss looked so happy. Minion shook his head with a sigh as Megamind waved his hand dismissing the subject for the time being.

"This all looks wonderful Minion!" Roxanne said with a smile as she dug in hungrily.

"Thank you Miss Ritchie, I aim to please!" Minion said as he turned and head back to the kitchen to allow the pair to eat their breakfast in peace.

OooOoOoO

"OK, so let me get this straight," Roxanne said as she ran her hand through her hair again, "you are actually going to go back into prison? Voluntarily?"

"Sir," Minion said after finally managing to find his voice "Has something... happened? That I don't know about I mean?"

"Honestly Minion, everything is fine!" Megamind said as he lounged back in the chair. Having finished breakfast and given Minion time to clear the table he had simply come out with the fact that he was returning to the prison voluntarily. "The Warden practically handed the idea to me on a silver platter. Besides there are some new guys due in that I wan to meet. Just a little business, nothing to worry about."

"Business?" Minion frowned, concern clearly written on his face.

"Yes Minion, don't worry! It's nothing, really." Megamind said as a sly grin spread on his face, "Oh and there is something I would like you to do for me."

"Me?" Roxanne asked as she blinked at him in surprise. She was having a hard time processing the revelation that Megamind was voluntarily going back to the prison as it was and suddenly hearing that he wanted her to do something threw her for a loop.

"I need you to talk to Mr Good- I mean, _Wayne_." Megamind said as a serious expression settled on his face, "I need you to get him to come in and see me in the prison. I need to call in a solid 'he-owes-me'."

"What?" Roxanne breathed as she leaned forwards slightly, "from Wayne? Why? What...?"

"Roxanne," He said as he reached forwards and took her hands in his, "I know it sounds crazy but please, just trust me. I have an idea."

"An idea for what Sir?"

"For a way to get out properly, _permanently_. But I think it's going to need to be done carefully. It was something the Warden said to me, I don't even know if it is going to work but I think it is worth a shot. I know it all sounds crazy and I will explain everything after I've spoken to Wayne."

"But, I don't..." Roxanne turned her face away as struggled with putting her thoughts over this situation into words.

Gently pressure on her cheek from his fingers turned her face back towards his before she felt his lips press against hers softly. The thousands of thoughts that were swimming around inside her head stuttered to a stop as soon as the connection had been made. It never ceased to amaze her just how much this man could affect her with little more than a look or a touch.

"Roxanne, please," He whispered against her lips as he pressed his forehead against hers, "do you trust me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then please, I have to do things this way otherwise nothing is ever going to change. I love you and I want to spend every waking moment I can with you and believe me, being away from you is the worst thing I can possibly imagine. You have no idea how much I have missed seeing you since... oh god I want nothing more than to hold you close to me and never let you go ever again."

"Then stay!" Roxanne said as she curled her hand around the back of his neck, scratching the tips of her nails across his skin lightly.

"Roxanne," Megamind practically growled as he pulled her in for another kiss, "oh my little temptress! Do you have any idea what you are doing to me?"

"Some" She said as a smile spread across her face. Megamind's answering grin was enough to send her over the edge and she burst into a fit of giggles that left her wondering why she was laughing so much.

"So," Minion said tentatively as the pair finally pulled back from each other, "there _is_ a plan then, Sir?"

"Yes Minion, my old friend, there is a plan." His lopsided grin and the spark of energy in his eyes reminded both Roxanne and Minion of the way he was when his newest evil plan was about to be launched, "A wickedly, evil plan for-"

"Didn't take long did it?"

"Humph!" Megamind said as he tried to suppress a smirk as he waved a dismissive hand in front of Roxanne's face, "Well OK, maybe it isn't a wickedly evil plan, but it _is_ a plan. I know what I'm doing."

"Well, that's OK then!" Minion said with a sigh, "Is there anything you are going to need to take back with you Sir?"

"Just one of the watches, Minion, thank you." He said as he watched his best friend hurry off to gather some extra supplies, "Roxanne, I-"

"It's OK." She said as she silenced him with a finger against his lips, "I don't quite understand, but I trust you. I'm sure whatever scheme you have come up with will show itself in time. They always do."

"It will, and you'll see my dear Miss Ritchie," His voice dipped lower as he angled his head down and cocked up one eyebrow, "This time everything will go according to my plans!"

OoOoOoOoOoO

"Well, now what do we have here?" His shoes squeaked against the painted concrete of the corridor as he crept up to the door of his cell. He turned slowly to face the woman who was tapping one foot against the floor, a sheepish look on his face, "I don't know where you think you're going, Cinderella, but we have a schedule to keep round here."

Megamind frowned in confusion as Officer Marci paced towards him, motioning for him to hold out his arms. He watched as she calmly cuffed his hands together in front of him before stepping back with a wink and turning to lead him away from his cell. After a few moments he was standing at the door to one of the exercise yards as Marci swung it open and stood aside to watch him leave the building. He blinked as he walked out into the bright morning sunlight, his frown deepening as he turned back to look at the guard who had closed the door behind her.

"But..." Megamind muttered. It had been a very long time since he was last allowed to use the main exercise yard, let alone when there were other prisoners using it! So far no one out in the yard had noticed him as he stayed close to the wall but the level of activity was rather low, given the early hour. He scanned the crown briefly before turning back to blink owlishly at the woman.

"You need the government sanctioned amount of exercise as much as the next deadbeat." She shrugged as she leaned up against the wall, "I'm just following orders."

"You know, the term 'deadbeat' really doesn't apply here."

"Just get out there!" She said with a sigh, "Go! See if you can make some friends!"

"You have got to be-" His words dies on his lips as his eyes settled on one target further along the fence, "-kidding me..."

"Hold it Tiger, forgetting something?" As Megamind puled his gaze back to the woman standing behind him, Marci held up a set of keys connected to her belt by a thick chain."

"Never stopped me before." He shrugged as he held his wrists up towards her.

"Yeah, yeah. Just humour me." She said, a tight smirk on her face as she freed his wrists and hooked the cuffs onto her belt. He turned on his heel to head out into the yard until her voice stopped him once again. "Hey Kid, keep your nose clean yeah?"

Megamind waved one hand over his shoulder as he moved out into the yard. A quiet hum went around the occupants as his presence was finally noticed. He smiled briefly to himself as he realised that most of the people out in the yard were people he knew from when he had been placed in the main block along with everyone else. He felt like he had come home, like he was amongst friends.

His expression darkened as he focused again on the shape of two men who were too caught up in their own whispered argument over in the far corner. He was almost right next to them by the time one of them noticed he was there.

"_Whoa_! Hey, look man, it was this guy's idea, OK? I had like, nothing to do with it!" The smaller of the two said quickly as his knees immediately gave out under him. He cringed back against the fence as Megamind loomed over him, barely even looking down at him.

"You," The blue man's voice seemed deeper and so much more dangerous than he had ever heard before, "should run while you still can, Hal Shhhhtuart!" He practically hissed the shorter man's name yet Hal didn't need to be told twice. He finally manager to get his legs to work just well enough to crawl franticly out from under the imposing presence of the city's villain leaving Megamind alone with the other occupant of the corner of the yard.

"I must say, I was surprised to learn of your recovery, not many people can come back from a shot to the stomach. But then, you're not really people, are you?" The man stood to his full height, staring Megamind straight in the eye as the alien stepped closer, intentionally invading the other's personal space.

"If you are trying to imply that I am not Human, then I am astounded at your powers of observation." Megamind hissed in a low voice.

"Yes well, I make a living observing people, or at least I did before you came along!"

"Oh _yes_, I know all about what you have been _observing_, Sinclaire! In fact, that is precisely what I wanted to talk to you about." He said through gritted teeth as his hands clenched into fists at his sides. He could sense someone approach him slowly from behind but he didn't really care who they were or what they wanted, he was far more interested in the man in front of him. "Specifically, your observations of one Roxanne Ritchie and your association with a man named Derek Ikura!"

"Well then you are going to be waiting for a while!" Sinclaire met his gaze steadily, a smirk forming on his features, "You can't make me tell you anything!"

"Oh I think I will get the information I want out of you. One way or the other."

"Oh yeah? You and what army, freak?"

"This army!" A voice from Megamind's right shoulder growled out in the following silence. Megamind turned his head to glance over his shoulder, smiling briefly at the gathering of a majority of the older, long term inmates had gathered, waiting for a reason to jump into the fray.

"_What_?"

"You mess with Blue, you mess with us. Them's the rules!" Another man said as he held up a meaty fist.

"Now, Mr Sinclaire," Megamind said calmly as he turned to face the investigator who had gone a few shades paler to say the least, "I'm going to ask nicely, one more time. Tell me what I want to know or my associates here will get the information for me." After a few moments of silence Megamind smiled and turned away.

"Have it your way. Gentlemen, play nice, yeah?"

"WAIT!" Sinclaire reached out a hand as if to hold back to advancing wall of men, "Wait! I'll … I'll talk."

Megamind turned back slowly, a truly evil smile spreading across his face.


End file.
